Kagle face mask
The zone of new tree growth, or bush, that separates farming villages from the deep forest is considered an important point of contact for humans, animals, and spirits. The behavior of animals observed in this liminal space has influenced the masks produced and performed in many Dan communities. Prominent, uneven teeth and a row of antelope horns carved into the mask’s forehead are features associated with Kagle, a troublemaking spirit sometimes identified as a chimpanzee. Kagle performs mischief by throwing sticks at onlookers to warm up a dancing area or by disrupting village festivities with boisterous, erratic movements. As an embodiment of the unruly forces that loom beyond the threshold of the village, Kagle tests the solidity of social institutions and instills appreciation for the value of order.
Artwork Details
- Title: Kagle face mask
- Artist: Dan artist
- Date: 19th–late 20th century
- Geography: Côte d'Ivoire or Liberia
- Culture: Dan peoples
- Medium: Wood, brass, nails, cane, mud
- Dimensions: H. 10 1/8 in. × W. 6 in. × D. 4 3/4 in. (25.7 × 15.2 × 12.1 cm)
- Classification: Wood-Sculpture
- Credit Line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Brian S. Leyden, 1986
- Object Number: 1986.481.2
- Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing
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Dan artist
ca. 1900
Dan artist
19th–mid 20th century
Dan artist
19th–mid-20th century
Dan artist
19th–mid-20th century
Dan artist
Late 19th–mid-20th century
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