Mask from the Ivory Coast in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, December 2010

Face Mask (Gu)

Date: 19th–mid-20th century

Geography: Côte d'Ivoire, central Côte d'Ivoire

Culture: Guro peoples

Medium: Wood, pigment

Dimensions: H. 11 1/2 x W. 5 3/8 x D. 4 3/8 in. (29.2 x 13.6 x 11.1cm)

Classification: Wood-Sculpture

Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979

Accession Number: 1979.206.293

Description: In Guro culture, distinctions are made between masquerades that are the focus of cults and those that are more secular in nature. A sequence of three sacred masks centers around Zamble, a mythical male being whose form fuses antelope and leopard features. He is in turn complemented by his beautiful wife, Gu, and his wild, grotesque brother, Zuali. Such representations are owned by certain families that use them as the loci of sacrificial offerings proposed by diviners to improve their well-being. In contrast, other Guro mask forms, which serve only as sources of entertainment, are designed by individual performers.

Text from: www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/312516