Côte d'Ivoire. Boldly carved, the head divided by a central ridge running from the forehead to the long projecting nose, the eyes are deeply recessed and triangular, each with pierced apertures, above a small open mouth with parted lips, all surmounted by a pair of upright horns. The sides are pierced with attachment holes.

Provenance: Professor Gert Chesi, acquired circa 1990-2015 for the Museum der Völker (formerly Haus der Völker, Museum für Kunst und Ethnographie), Schwaz, Tyrol, Austria, and subsequently de-accessed. Gert Chesi (b. 1940) is an Austrian photographer, author, and art collector. In 1995, Chesi founded the Museum der Völker (formerly Haus der Völker, Museum für Kunst und Ethnographie), Schwaz, Tyrol, Austria, a museum of art and ethnography whose collection consists mainly of objects acquired during Chesi's travels through Africa and Asia, most of which were assembled in the 1990s and early 2000s. He also authored several books on African voodoo and magic rituals, including 'Voodoo. Afrikas geheime Macht' (1987) and 'Die letzten Afrikaner' (1977).
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and manufacturing irregularities. Tiny nicks, small dents, remnants of pigments and age cracks.

Weight: 546 g
Dimensions: Height 31.3 cm

The present mask belongs to the kpwan kple type (also transcribed as kpan pre), the horned anthropomorphic mask type appearing in the Goli masquerade of the Baule. Originating among the neighboring Wan people, Goli was adopted by the Baule around the beginning of the 20th century and performed during harvest celebrations, funerals of prominent individuals, and communal festivities. A complete performance unfolds through four male-female pairs presented in a prescribed sequence: the flat, disk-shaped kple kple, the powerful zoomorphic goli glin, the horned human-faced kpan pre, and finally the refined anthropomorphic kpan. Together they describe a progression from the untamed forces of the bush toward civilized humanity and ordered village life.

Occupying the crucial third stage in this sequence, the kpan pre unites animal power with idealized human beauty. In the present mask, a serenely modeled oval face is crowned by two imposing, deeply curved horns, their vigorous sculptural presence contrasting with the restrained eyes, slender nose, and delicately parted lips. In funerary settings the Goli masquerade could assume a sacred character, honoring the amwin spirit powers associated with protection and well-being, while its appearance at harvests and public celebrations emphasized prosperity, continuity, and communal cohesion.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related Baule face mask for the Goli masquerade, dated 20th century, in the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, accession number 1989.472.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby's Paris, 28 November 2023, lot 59
Mid-Estimate: EUR 25,000 or approx. EUR 26,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Baule Mask, Côte d'Ivoire
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form as well as the related manner of carving. Note the closely related size (31 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie's Paris, 10 April 2019, lot 73
Price: EUR 7,500 or approx. EUR 9,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Baule Goli mask, Côte d'ivoire
Expert remark: Compare the related carving manner with a similarly flat head and eyes. Note the similar size (33.5 cm) and different mask type.