Deangle (peaceful spirit) mask

19th–mid 20th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 341

Dark, lustrous oval facemasks remain a ubiquitous symbol of Dan identity in contemporary Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire. Their creation and performance allow invisible, immaterial forces to participate in human affairs. A spirit (ge or gle, literally, “mysterious being”) may appear to an individual in his dreams to request that a mask be commissioned. Such spirits are said to provide specifications relating to their desired costume, choreography, musical accompaniment, and name. The material manifestation of a benevolent ge like Deangle, who collects food for initiation camps, often has narrow, almond-shaped eyes and other attributes understood as feminine. Masks carved with animal features, considered masculine, typically embody more aggressive energies. Over the course of a facemask’s life, it may take on the identity of different spirits and undergo alterations to reflect its evolving status.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Title: Deangle (peaceful spirit) mask
Artist: Dan artist
Date: 19th–mid 20th century
Geography: Côte d'Ivoire or Liberia
Culture: Dan peoples
Medium: Wood, fiber, pigment
Dimensions: H. 10 H. x W. 6 3/4 in. x D. 2 1/2 in.
Classification: Wood-Sculpture
Credit Line: Gift of Carol B. Kenney, in memory of Jerome P. Kenney, 2025
Object Number: 2025.97.8
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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