Mask "gu" · Côte d'Ivoire, Guro · ID: 3052391
Starting price
EUR 3,500
Estimated price
EUR 5,000
Provenance
Ute & Ottfried Schröder, Hamburg / Karlsruhe, GermanySize
H: 29 cm
H: 11.4 inch
Description
wood, black paint, kaolin,
Together with the animal-faced “zamble” and his brother “zauli”, “gu” forms a group of sacred masks. “Gu” is considered to be “zamble’s” wife and is always depicted as a beautiful young woman.
The masks are owned by respected families and are passed down from generation to generation. As well as being worn at funeral-like ceremonies, they are also donned in celebration, to resolve disputes and unmask wizards.
Comparing literature
Fischer, Eberhard & Lorenz Homberger, Die Kunst der Guro, Elfenbeinküste, Zürich 1985, p. 221 ff.