Guro OLD Tribal GU Antique African Mask w/ Stand 20" Stunning Color Animal Coiffure, True Age Wear Use Start Price USD 795.00 Current Price USD 795.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Monday, October 06, 2008 End Time Wednesday, November 05, 2008 Location Santa Fe, NM See more about 'Guro OLD Tribal GU Antique African Mask w/ Stand' Description   Guro OLD Tribal GU Antique African Mask w/ Stand     A Splendid Old Guro GU Female Face MaskAntique African Art - Tribal Masque - Cote d'Ivoire Collected from the: Guro peoples of Cote d'Ivoire, West AfricaMaterial: Carved wood, paint over early black primer, skin oil, custom standPeriod: Early 20th centuryDimensions: 16" height, 6.5" width, 6" depth; weight is 1.90 pounds or 20.25" height, 3.75 pounds on standCondition: Excellent. From a private Houston collection, exquisite signs of age and interior wear from authentic tribal use, age cracks and two indigenous repairs to rim test stable, wear exposed wood displays significant patination. Make special note of the perfect symmetry, serene expression, intricate coiffure and hole wear. Burnished surface condition displays traces of skin oil patina on smooth, worn interior and exterior rim indicative of frequent tribal wear and handling - an altogether sublime specimen ! Please click on the photos below to fully appreciate this delightful old masque! And be sure to see the incredible AFRICAN MASKS in our eBay store! Or explore our exquisite AFRICAN SCULPTURES! Click Images to Enlarge Guro Mask Traditions and UseThe best-known cult among the northern Guro relates to a group of masks that were considered a family. The family consisted of zauli, a grotesque animal mask with long horns; zamble, a horned mask whose face was meant to recall a leopard or crocodile; and gu, a human female mask. Gu, who was usually thought of as zamble’s wife, performed after the two zoomorphic figures who were responsible for resolving quarrels and detecting sorcerers, or who danced at funerals and other ceremonies. During her performance, which was accompanied only by flute music, gu moved slowly and gracefully, singing songs in honor of zamble. Gu represented a young woman with features that corresponded to traditional Guro ideals of feminine beauty: a narrow, well-proportioned face with a small chin, a high forehead with an undulating, presumably shaven hairline, arching black eyebrows, lowered eyelids, a narrow nose with delicate nostrils and a slightly open mouth. Gu was a family cult whose masks were kept by a family member who was then obliged to perform certain duties and observe certain taboos. During the ceremonies the masks were not necessarily worn by their owners, but rather by a family member who was an exceptionally good dancer. Gu masks depicting elaborate coiffures, often surmounted by combs or small animals, portrayed a noble, affluent or well-to-do woman or the wife of a rich man whose intricate hairstyle precluded the carrying of burdens on her head. Often the woman represented as such was no longer young and, as a widow or noble person she became androgynous, not required to do physical labor, she could then devote herself to trade and business. See African Masks from the Barbier-Mueller Collection for several exceptional examples of this fascinating form. History of the Guro TribeThe Guro peoples migrated south to Cote d’Ivoire during the 16th century, and were originally known as the Kweni prior to violent French colonization in the very early 1900’s. Today the predominantly agricultural Guro number around 200,000, and maintain a village life regulated by a council of elders and secret societies. Guro art is characteristically elegant, dominated by masks exhibiting elongated faces, concave profiles, and slanted eyes. Guro masks are thought to be among the most colorful and skillfully carved masquerade art in Africa. Notable similarities in design and features with the Baule, Bete, Yaure, and Senufo masks indicate a shared influence with neighboring tribes of the same region. Guro masks are danced, worn, or performed for funerals, trials, or memorial festivals. See Bacquart’s The Tribal Arts of Africa for further details. Cat. # am9 ************************************************************************************ THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING SANTA FE AFRICAN ART !!!We strive to earn your ***** FIVE STAR ***** rating in all 4 categories! If you are not 5 star satisfied, please contact us immediately! 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