Mask of Entertainment - Gouro - Côte d'Ivoire

Ivory Coast Gouro Wood Height: 260 mm Width: 175 mm Depth: 100 mm Missing at the top of the rear part, see the photo of the back. This polychrome wooden anthropomorphic mask is a characteristic example of Gouro art (or Kwéni), an ethnic group from the central and western region of Ivory Coast, living mainly along the Bandama River. In Gouro culture, this type of piece with fine features and bright colors is not a mask of “strength” or justice, but a mask of entertainment and popular rejoicing. Here is the detailed explanation of its stylistic origin and its ritual and social use. 1. Stylistic Origin: The Canons of Gouro Beauty The mask’s aesthetics are entirely designed to celebrate harmony, youth, and the traditional criteria of female beauty among the Gouro: The Face and the Features: The forehead is high, marked with ritual vertical scarifications. Almond-shaped eyes, painted black and half-closed, express serenity, reserve, and dignity. The nose is strong, realistic, and full, which sets the Gouro style apart from the more rectilinear fineness of the neighboring Baoulé. The Smiling Mouth and Shaped Teeth: The slightly open mouth sketches a subtle smile and reveals a row of teeth carved into points. This body modification (tooth filing) was once a mark of coquetry and a very important aesthetic initiation sign for young women in the region. The Festooned Two-Tone Collar: The face is framed by an imposing dented border alternating black and white (kaolin). This collar stylizes a complex festive hairstyle or a ceremonial adornment. It provides a strong graphic contrast intended to capture the audience’s gaze during the dancer’s rapid movements. 2. Use and Social Function: The Theater of Entertainment This mask appears in secular and theatrical dances, such as those of the Flali, Guéla mask complexes or the old forms of the famous Zaouli. A. Village Revelries and Celebrations Harvest festivals: The mask appears at major fairs, at the end of agricultural cycles, to celebrate abundance. Social events: It is brought out to honor distinguished guests, celebrate weddings, or merrily conclude the funerals of notable persons to bring life and joy back to the village. The dance performance: The mask bearer is a virtuoso dancer. Dressed in a full costume of colorful fabrics and long rafia fibers (attached to the mask’s side perforations), he executes extremely fast and rhythmic dance steps, synchronized with the drums’ beats and the women’s chants. B. Satire, Humor, and Social Cohesion These masks often embody a specific character (the “beautiful young girl,” the “city dweller,” the “rival”). The dancer mimes scenes of everyday life in a theatrical and humorous manner. Through caricature and entertainment, the mask plays the role of a social regulator: it allows the village’s faults (pride, jealousy, laziness) to be mocked and tensions within the community to be defused with laughter, thus strengthening the group’s cohesion and harmony. In summary This Gouro mask is a celebration of social life, refinement, and dance. Through its serene expression, its smiling mouth with carved teeth, and its festooned adornment, it provides a bridge between the sacred world of spirits and the profane world of village rejoicing in Ivory Coast. The parcels are shipped from Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number. Delivery between 1 to 3 days in France with Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union. Delivery in the rest of Europe and worldwide with Colissimo international. We speak English Mask african art Afrikanische Maskenkunst arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane statue african art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano

Estimation:€150

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