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Lot Essay
À l’occasion de l’exposition Dogon Sculpture. Symbols of a Mythical Universe, organisée en 1997 au Hillwood Art Museum (Steinberg Museum of Art), le conservateur Gilbert Graham a commenté de manière pertinente le masque ici présenté, en s’interrogeant à la fois sur sa signification et sur son type : « un masque dogon empreint de mystère. Beaucoup ont pensé qu’il s’agissait d’un masque de « chasseur », mais certaines caractéristiques me font douter de cette interprétation. La partie centrale représente un esprit de l’eau Nommo, dont les pieds se terminent par une bouche saillante munie de dents. On observe également l’extension semblable à une poignée sur le sommet ainsi qu’un faisceau de cordes tressées qui pend sur le côté. Je me suis demandé si ce masque pouvait se rapporter au mythe selon lequel le Nommo parlait en laissant échapper de la vapeur entre ses dents. Cette vapeur se condensait en fibres, qui étaient ensuite tissées pour former des étoffes. Ce mythe aurait enseigné aux Dogon le tissage et la parole. Les cordes tressées pourraient-elles représenter le fil dans une navette, et la poignée supérieure, le support d’une poulie de métier à tisser ? » (Graham, G., Dogon Sculpture. Symbols of a Mythical Universe, New York, 1997, p. 68).
Si la présence de la poignée au sommet constitue une caractéristique unique, ce masque partage un détail notable avec un autre exemplaire : la figure sculptée le long de l’axe vertical du visage. Un masque présentant cette même caractéristique rare est aujourd’hui conservé dans les collections du musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, acquis lors de l’expédition Dakar-Djibouti de 1931-1933 (inv. n° 71.1931.74.1908).
On the occasion of the exhibition Dogon Sculpture. Symbols of a Mythical Universe, held in 1997 at the formerly Hillwood Art Museum (Steinberg Museum of Art), curator Gilbert Graham pertinently commented on the present mask by interrogating both its significance and type: “a Dogon mask with some mystery. Many people have felt this is a ‘hunter’ mask but it has features that make me question this. The central portion is made up of a Nommo water spirit, whose feet end as a protruding mouth with teeth. In addition, there is the handle-like extension on top and the tied bundles dangling from the side. I have wondered if this mask might relate to the myth which says that the Nommo spoke with vapor coming between his teeth. The vapor condensed into fibers and was woven into cloth. This taught the Dogon both weaving and speech. Could the bundles be thread in a shuttle and the top handle a support for a heddle pulley?” (Graham, G., Dogon Sculpture. Symbols of a Mythical Universe, New York, 1997, p. 68).
While the presence of the handle at the top is a unique feature, this mask shares a notable detail with another example: the figure carved along the vertical median of the face. A mask displaying this same, rare feature is now in the collection of the Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, acquired during the Dakar-Djibouti expedition of 1931-1933 (inv. no. 71.1931.74.1908).
Si la présence de la poignée au sommet constitue une caractéristique unique, ce masque partage un détail notable avec un autre exemplaire : la figure sculptée le long de l’axe vertical du visage. Un masque présentant cette même caractéristique rare est aujourd’hui conservé dans les collections du musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, acquis lors de l’expédition Dakar-Djibouti de 1931-1933 (inv. n° 71.1931.74.1908).
On the occasion of the exhibition Dogon Sculpture. Symbols of a Mythical Universe, held in 1997 at the formerly Hillwood Art Museum (Steinberg Museum of Art), curator Gilbert Graham pertinently commented on the present mask by interrogating both its significance and type: “a Dogon mask with some mystery. Many people have felt this is a ‘hunter’ mask but it has features that make me question this. The central portion is made up of a Nommo water spirit, whose feet end as a protruding mouth with teeth. In addition, there is the handle-like extension on top and the tied bundles dangling from the side. I have wondered if this mask might relate to the myth which says that the Nommo spoke with vapor coming between his teeth. The vapor condensed into fibers and was woven into cloth. This taught the Dogon both weaving and speech. Could the bundles be thread in a shuttle and the top handle a support for a heddle pulley?” (Graham, G., Dogon Sculpture. Symbols of a Mythical Universe, New York, 1997, p. 68).
While the presence of the handle at the top is a unique feature, this mask shares a notable detail with another example: the figure carved along the vertical median of the face. A mask displaying this same, rare feature is now in the collection of the Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, acquired during the Dakar-Djibouti expedition of 1931-1933 (inv. no. 71.1931.74.1908).