West Africa, Ivory Coast, Guro culture, ca. early to mid 20th century CE. A stunning ensemble of six hand-carved wooden masks, all with broad noses and petite ears and painted in hues of crimson, rich rosewood, pink, teal, blue, white, and black. Four of these intriguing vizards present slit eyes, open mouths showing a top row of teeth, and dashes of ceremonial scarification across their cheeks and foreheads. The rosewood-colored mask also shows slit eyes; however it has a petite closed mouth with bowed lips. Boasting a decorative zigzag border, the last visor displays gritted teeth and half-moon eyes under an arched brow. All six of the masks are topped with elaborate headdresses, five of which bearing zoomorphic figures. Size: 9.125" W x 18" H (23.2 cm x 45.7 cm)
These masks 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: ex-Phoenicia Holyland Antiquities, New York, New York, USA
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#162648
Condition
Head of dog-like creature atop one mask has been reattached. All have expected surface wear with nicks/chips and abrasions. Otherwise, very nice with excellent remaining pigments.