A Guro mask, Côte d’Ivoire, Oumé region, most likely by the father of Sabu di Boti. died in 1950, s. Afrikanische Meister Schnitzer, Eberhard Fischer, Page 28- 31. Incl stand. In the region around Oumé, Guro masks display distinctive stylistic and iconographic features that reflect local carving traditions within the broader Guro artistic corpus. The most well known is the carver Sabu di Boti. Masks from this area are typically carved from lightweight wood and are characterized by refined facial modeling and balanced proportions. Faces often display narrow, elongated forms with gently arched eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, and delicately defined noses and mouths. A hallmark of many Guro masks from the Oumé region is the presence of elaborate superstructures. These may include stylized animal forms, such as antelopes or birds, as well as human figures or abstract motifs arranged above the forehead. Such sculptural elements contribute to the narrative identity of the masquerade and enhance the visual dynamism of performances. Boti, a master carver of the Guro people of central Côte d’Ivoire, occupies a pivotal position in the historiography of African art as one of the earliest sculptors to be systematically documented as an individual artistic personality. His work came to scholarly attention through the field research of Eberhard Fischer, whose monographic study marked a decisive shift away from the long-standing tendency to treat African sculpture as anonymous “tribal” production. Instead, Fischer’s analysis foregrounded questions of authorship, stylistic coherence, and artistic intention. Active during the mid to late twentieth century and likely born between 1925 and 1935, Boti emerged from a hereditary milieu of woodcarvers in which technical knowledge and formal conventions were transmitted through familial and workshop structures. Within this context, however, his oeuvre demonstrates a distinct and recognizable formal language. Masks attributed to him are characterized by refined proportions, controlled surface articulation, and a nuanced balance between stylization and expressivity. Particularly notable are his female mask types, whose elongated features, arched eyes, and composed expressions exemplify an aesthetic of idealized beauty central to Guro masquerade traditions. These masks must be understood not as autonomous sculptural objects but as integral components of performative ensembles. Within Guro society, such works are activated in masquerades—most prominently those associated with the Zauli masquerade—where carving, costume, music, and dance converge. Boti’s sculptures thus participate in a dynamic system of meaning, their visual qualities inseparable from movement, rhythm, and social function. Field observations conducted in the 1970s documented Boti’s working process in detail, from the initial blocking of form to the final stages of polychrome application. This rare insight into artistic practice further reinforced the argument for considering African sculptors as intentional creators operating within, yet not wholly determined by, inherited conventions. His case became exemplary in subsequent exhibitions and publications devoted to so-called “African master carvers,” a category that sought to reconcile the recognition of individual artistry with the collective frameworks of tradition. The question of lineage remains more elusive. While carving among the Guro is frequently embedded in familial transmission, and while younger generations of artists—some born in the late twentieth century—have continued to work within related stylistic idioms, secure genealogical links are not always documented. In the absence of firm evidence, attributions of direct filiation must therefore be treated with caution. What can be asserted, however, is the enduring influence of Boti’s sculptural vocabulary within regional carving practices. In this sense, Boti stands not only as an individual master but also as a crucial figure in the reconfiguration of African art history: from an anonymous corpus to a field attentive to named artists, artistic agency, and the complexities of transmission across generations. Guro masks are primarily used within masquerade traditions known for their theatricality and movement. During performances, the mask is worn with a full-body costume made of layered textiles or fiber, completely concealing the dancer. CAB38277