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THBPair of Mid 20th C. African Guro Wood Female Gu Masks
Lot 80
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$1,200 - $1,800
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| $300 | $50 |
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| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
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| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Mar 18, 2021
Set Reminder
2021-03-18 10:00:00
2021-03-18 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Pre-Columbian | Tribal | Oceanic
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/pre-columbian-tribal-oceanic-6520
Featuring Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal, Oceanic, much more. All items have been legally acquired and are legal to sell. Convenient in-house shipping. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Featuring Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal, Oceanic, much more. All items have been legally acquired and are legal to sell. Convenient in-house shipping. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (323)
- Lot Description
West Africa, Ivory Coast, Guro culture, ca. early to mid 20th century CE. A magnificent pair of carved-wood masks representing idealized female beauty, each known as a "gu". Painted in rich hues of crimson and chocolate brown, the nearly identical vizards present elongated visages with full lips, recessed philtrums, triangular noses, narrow nasal bridges, and slit eyes with heavy lids under arched brows, all flanked by a pair of petite ears. A series of three dots, representing ceremonial scarification, adorns both of their convex foreheads, which are capped by dramatic incised hairlines; one undulating with a border of three incised striations and the other zigzagged with diagonal stripes. Both eccentric headdresses feature nude figures kneeling atop their heads, as their hands rest on their thighs. With one male and the other female, each figure displays a sizable head with closed eyes, a petite nose, and an open mouth. The female showcases a bulging, possibly pregnant belly and pointed breasts. Size (roughly the same): 5.75" W x 17" H (14.6 cm x 43.2 cm)
Circular apertures are displayed on the peripheries of both masks, allowing them to be strapped to one's head.
Gu masks are part of a Guro group of masks that are considered a family, consisting of a grotesque animal called a zauli, a horned mask known as a zamble, and a gu, which takes the form of a human. Gu, who is zamble's wife, performs last of the three, and dances slowly and gracefully to flute music as she sings songs in honor of zamble.
Provenance: ex-Phoenicia Holyland Antiquities, New York, New York, USA
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#162645Mask with female figure has chip to central scarification mark and miniscule nick to bottom of verso, as well as minor stable fissure on proper left chin periphery. Mask with male figure has a stable fissure curving around its chin and two more fissures to verso of top figure and verso of top of head. Expected light abrasions commensurate with age. Otherwise, very nice with lovely earthen deposits in recessed areas and impressive remaining pigments.Condition
- Shipping Info
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All shipping is handled in-house for your convenience. Your invoice from Artemis Gallery will include shipping calculation instructions. If in doubt, please inquire BEFORE bidding for estimated shipping costs for individual items.
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