During large dance ceremonies, the Dogon also use character masks impersonating animals in honour of their ancestors and the deceased. Just like the hare or the stag here, they are often game animals hunted by the Dogon people.
The present, large ‘Gomintogo mask’ is one of around 80 types of mask from the Dogon people and comes from Sangha in Mali. It is carved from light-coloured, lightweight wood and dyed with earth colours – black, red and white. The face is shaped from 6 vertical carved lines in relief. It has rectangular, almost square eyes and a horizontal mouth (with interruptions). The mask is surmounted by two large, slightly concave ‘hare ears’ that curve inwards, with a red stripe right at the top. The forehead and head are coloured black with white spots, and both cheeks are decorated with a black and red jagged pattern. On the other side, using 15 eyelets, a net of twisted and knotted fibre strings is attached so that the mask can be worn on the head of the dancer. On both cheeks there are 2 large holes to place a bite bar, so that the masked dancers can fix the ‘hare mask’ in place and hold on to it easily. A complete and typical object with a small, old original repair on the lower left side (an old crack that has been mended with a leather band). Otherwise only 2 small pieces have broken off. A perfect piece with good traces of usage and patina. Height: 57 cm. First half of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance:
Rut Van Caelenbergh Collection, Brussels; Austrian private collection.

Lit.:
'Dogon' by Hélène Leloup, catalogue of the Musée du Quai Branly, Paris, ill. 80.