African Arts Gallery

African mask represented wearing a leather amulet like those that women inserted in their hair. The facial treatment is “Bouafle” style. This type of mask was used with Zamble and Zaouli, but would no longer be used today. ("Guro", ed. 5Continents, pl.13) Satin black patina, cracks.br /> Height on base: 49 cm.
Among the Mande group from the south, in the center of Côte d'Ivoire, on the banks of the Bandama, the Gouro are organized into lineages, and constitute the western neighbors of the Baoulé who borrowed several characteristics from their creations. Animists, they have used a family of masks associated with the Zaouli dance since the 1950s. Indeed, like the African Goli masks of the Baoulé, all of the Guro masks, relating to the geniuses of nature, come in two zoomorphic masks followed by a third anthropomorphic, which is considered the wife of the mask zamblé, the Gu. Priest and diviner share the predominant ritual functions among the Guro. Secret associations worship the geniuses of nature.