Guru Guro Mask Cote D'Ivoire African Art 14" X 7" X 6" African Art Deco For Sale
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Guru Guro Mask Cote D'Ivoire African Art 14" X 7" X 6" African Art Deco: $166.50
A beautifully and carefully carved guru (Baule) mask. A portrait of a beautiful woman which references the importance of women in Guru or Gorou (Baule ) Society. Designed as part of a Baule (Ivory Coast) theatrical tradition, known as "Mblo," that combines dramatic skits and solo dances, this mask is an idealized representation of a woman, a prominent member of the community for which it was sculpted. Its lustrous carved surfaces suggest healthy skin set off by a delicately textured coiffure and facial scarifications. Within Baule culture, Mblo portrait-masks are appreciated as the most refined and long-standing form of artistic expression. While they may depict either men or women, such works were generally commissioned by a man to honor a female relative or created by a carver in homage to a particular woman's dance skills and beauty. Because of their importance, only the best dancers are eligible to wear portrait-masks in performance. The Guro of the Ivory Coast (Cote D'Ivoire) is related to the Baule, and there is a resemblance in their masks. The daily life of the Guro is dominated by secret societies, called Zuzu. Guro masks are elegant, usually long with pointed chins, and generally the most colorful of African masks. Sometimes there are burn marks on them. The mask is approximately 14 inches high and 7 inches wide and 6 inches thick Note: Pictures are an exact representations of the item.
