Dan Wood Passport Mask, Based

A smooth, oval dark mask with arched brows and two tiny round eyeholes.

This dan passport mask is Dan, from Liberia, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is wood. Among the Dan of Liberia and neighboring Ivory Coast, small masks of this kind are generally described as personal masks kept for protection or as a spiritual double. A long, egg-shaped face with high curved brows, small circular openings for the eyes, a narrow nose and a slightly pursed mouth. The surface is a deep glossy brown, rubbed lighter at the cheeks, and it stands on a black base. It is 3 inches wide, 2.5 deep and 5.5 high.

Serene, spare, and not giving anything away.