Gobé Koné from Gbon is one of the old Fono masters. He worked in an excellent casting technic. The surface of his thin masks are flawless and smooth. In total there are 11 masks documentated. All have the same size and shape. Gobé did use a template made of clay, were he formed the main shape of the mask. His fine and fragile decoration elements are always different and vary in each mask.
The shown mask from Gobe Koné was made around 1930 and does show a wonderful patina.
Songuimai Koné (*1933 +1996) was Gobé Koné's son, who also worked as a Fono. Same as Gobé's brother, Ziemogo Koné (+1985), who casted more Gniniguefobele statues than masks.
Kpelié mask, casted by Gobé Koné, Fono from Gbon. +1951.
Time of creation around 1930.
Collected by Karl-Heinz Krieg.
24,0 x 12,5 x 4,0 cm, bronze alloy.
Literature:
- Wenn Brauch Gebrauch beeinflusst, Markus Ehrhard, page 128 - 129.
Der menschliche Körper ist von der Wissenschaft bis in das Kleinste erfroscht. Dabei wird in der Betrachtungsart immer vergrößert. Betrachtet man den Mensch in diesem Prosess im Ganzen, so erkennt man offene Lücken und Spalten.
The human body is scientificly selected into bits and pieces. The more you go into details, the more you lose the view of the whole thing. Gaps and cracks appear.
ORNITO
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