West Africa, Ivory Coast, Guro culture, ca. mid-20th century CE. A wonderful, hand-carved wood mask presenting an elongated visage with a huge, convex forehead that dramatically narrows to a pointed chin. The stylized visage presents slender eyes beneath arched brows, a prominent, crooked nose that comes to a sharp point, and a petite, closed mouth, all capped by a black coiffure and an elaborate headdress with 3 front points and a large, tubular finial that juts out from the top. A rich hue of burgundy pigment adorns the face, nicely complemented by black and white painted features. Size: 7.5" W x 19.3" H (19 cm x 49 cm); 23.3" H (59.2 cm) on included custom stand.

This mask would have been part of a group of masks considered a family. 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."

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection

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#163713

Proper left side has 2 small areas of loss. Expected nicks and abrasions, as well as some old, inactive insect holes, all commensurate with age. Otherwise, great with nice remaining pigments.