A carved wooden mask with tall structure in the form of a body, the body of God, with the hands up to the heavens and down towards the earth having ritual significance to the tribe. kanaga masks are worn at rituals called dama, whose goal is to transport the souls of deceased family members away from the village and to enhance the prestige of the deceased and his descendants. The entire mask has painted symbols and designs and shows obvious field use as a dance mask. Dogon peoples, Mali, Africa. The mask measures 42 x 21 inches. Provenance: A Private New Jersey Collection.

Good, well worn