Lot 140
West Africa, Ivory Coast, Guro culture, ca. early to mid 20th century CE. A naturalistic hand-carved mask of Zamble, a mythical creature composed of antelope and leopard features, painted in rich shades of black, caramel, and creamy white. Flanked by petite pointed ears, the caramel-hued visage of this charming beast presents with two downward-slanted, coffee-bean eyes outlined in black with white corners and a rounded snout painted black with clearly delineated nostrils and an incised line for a mouth. A pair of elegant antlers incised with diagonal striations along a high central rib sprout from the top of the creature's head and curve downwards with tapered points ending at the animal's ears. Size: 5.25" W x 9.125" H (13.3 cm x 23.2 cm); 12.25" H (31.1 cm) on included custom stand.
See a Zamble mask at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (accession number 1979.206.105). 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; ex-Thomas Slater collection, Texas, USA; ex-Robert Berg collection, California, USA
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#161906
- Condition: Collection label on verso. Expected natural fissure to wood on bottom and top. Otherwise, excellent and intact with impressive remaining pigments.
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