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BLANCHET & Associés
258
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Zaouli Gouro mask, Ivory Coast, wood, pigment, H.
See original version (French)
258
-
Zaouli Gouro mask, Ivory Coast, wood, pigment, H.
See original version (French)
Estimate €400 - €600
Voluntary lot
Description
Zaouli Gouro mask, Ivory Coast, wood, pigment, H.66cmxW.20cm. There are two categories of Gouro masks. Firstly, those linked to entertainment, more secular, managed by artists' associations, such as the Gyela lu Zaouli (Gyela daughter of Zaouli) mask created in the 1950s, whose art is constantly evolving with society, and whose prodigious dance is now known the world over. And then there are the masks of ancient traditions such as Zaouli, Gu or Zamble, placed under the responsibility of a family lineage, owned by a specific individual, associated with the cults of the ancestors, and requiring sacrifices, feeding "divinities" or "genies of nature", to ensure their protection. During these trances, the Zaouli mask could detect sorcerers and also drive them away, but there is little information in the literature on the ancient tradition of the Zaouli mask, which is quite rare in European collections. However, there is a consensus that Zaouli is the opposing force to Zamble, Gu's husband, when Zaouli is not present. Zaouli is originally Gu's husband, but he is above all her ancestor, and is found mainly in the north of Gouro country, as well as among the Wan.
See original version (French)
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