TRIBAL AFRICAN ART GURO ZAMBLE MASK from the Ivory Coast: The zamble masks combine the attributes of hyena, antelope, leopard and crocodile. Like all Guro masks, they can be polychrome or come in brown and black. In Guro culture, distinctions are made between masquerades that are the focus of cults and those that are more secular in nature. A sequence of three sacred masks centers around Zamble, a mythical male being whose form fuses antelope and leopard features. He is in turn complemented by his beautiful wife, Gu, and his wild, grotesque brother, Zuali. Such representations are owned by certain families that use them as the loci of sacrificial offerings proposed by diviners to improve their well-being. In contrast, other Guro mask forms, which serve only as sources of entertainment, are designed by individual performers. 49cm x 17cm