MALGACHE CULTURE, Madagascar, circa 1930. - Lot 155

MALGACHE CULTURE, Madagascar, circa 1930. Portrait mask depicting a stylized face with open eyes, a finely sculpted mouth and delicately hemmed lips. The headdress is composed of multiple loose braids arranged in a fan shape, each adorned at its end with a circular element or carved seed, organized in successive tiers. The result is a structured, decorative silhouette of great finesse. Wood probably Malagasy ebony (Diospyros spp.), old patina, wear mark. Height 22 cm. Width: 15 cm. Provenance: Collection of Dr. Grison, Paris, collected by his grandfather in the 1940s. This portrait mask bears witness to the cross-influence of traditional forms and Western aesthetic codes. At the time, local artists produced works for commission or exhibition, notably at major colonial events. The decorative research, stylization of hairstyles and precision of features place this object in a dynamic close to that of Art Deco, where the African figure becomes both an exotic motif and an expression of sculptural modernity.