West Africa, Ivory Coast, Guro people, ca. 19th to mid-20th century CE. A stunning ritualistic mask hand-carved from a single panel into an antelope and crocodile (sometimes leopard or dog) hybrid known as a zamble. The dramatic visage presents an open mouth showing carved teeth on the upper and lower jaws. The reptilian snout projects from an elongated cranium with incised circles around slit formed eye holes. The upper brow is the antelope half, with upturned horns. The verso is concave for wearing with piercing holes for attaching straps around the peripheries. The surface is polished with a lustrous red-brown hue. The zamble mask is often worn during dances to celebrate and honor ancestors. Size: 17.5" L x 5.5" W (44.4 cm x 14 cm); 18.5" H (47 cm) on included custom stand.

According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, "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."

Please see a similar example in Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number: 1979.206.105.

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-Dr. Edward A. Spiegel collection

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#166417

Very good! Minor losses to lower jaw's teeth. Surface chips and scratches. Excellent patina and details. Older chips to horn tips, but are smoothed down.