DOGON MASK Wood - 96 cm Mali Hélène Leloup, who sold this rare and important mask to Fritz Koenig in the 1960’s, believes that at the most four examples of this mask are in existence. Mrs Leloup also assumes that due the expulsion of the residing Dogon in the Saruyere Mountains by the French troops in 1921, the group of masks reached already Paris in the beginning of the 1920’s where they were dispersed into different collections. One comparable mask was acquired by Josef Mueller for his collection before 1942. (African Masks from the Barbier-Mueller Collection, Munich/New York, 1997, cat. and ill. n°19, p. 242). A Further example was owned by Pierre Harte, Paris (A. Pilot, G. Calame-Griaule, F. NDiaye, masques du Pays Dogon, Paris, 2001) Hélène Leloup qui a vendu ce rare masque à Fritz Koenig dans les années 60, pense qu’il n’existe au plus quatre exemplaires de ce type. Mme Leloup présume que suite à l’expulsion des Dogon habitant les Monts Saruyere par les troupes Françaises en 1921, le groupe de masques avait déjà atteint Paris dans les années 1920 où ils furent dispersés dans différentes collections. Un masque semblable fut acquis par Josef Mueller pour sa collection en 1942 à Paris (African Masks from the Barbier-Mueller Collection, Munich/New York, 1997, cat. and ill. n°19, p. 242). Un autre était en possession de Pierre Harter à Paris (A. Pilot, G. Calame-Griaule, F. NDiaye, masques du Pays Dogon, Paris, 2001). Provenance: Galerie Hélène Leloup, Paris - Fritz Koenig collection, Landshut, acquired from above in the 1960's - Kurt Egger collection, Heidelberg – European collection