Ceremonial mask - Yaure - Côte d'Ivoire
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Selected by Julien Gauthier
A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 280 - € 330
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Ceremonial wooden mask of the Yaouré people from Côte d'Ivoire, measuring 350 × 145 × 80 mm, in excellent condition and delivered without a stand.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Ivory Coast
Yaouré
Wood
Height: 350mm
Width: 145mm
Depth: 80mm
Delivered without pedestal
This carved wooden mask testifies to the exceptional refinement of Yaouré (or Yauré) statuary from Ivory Coast. Although it shares a strong stylistic and geographic kinship with Baoulé art, certain graphic conventions confirm its belonging to Yaouré workshops.
1. Geographical and cultural origin
- The Yaouré people: This small community lives in the central region of Ivory Coast, surrounded by the Baoulé to the east and the Guro to the west.
- An art of transition: Yaouré statuary achieves a remarkable aesthetic synthesis, borrowing the softness and roundedness of Baoulé faces while integrating the geometric rigor and straight lines of Guro art.
2. Ritual use and spiritual function
This piece is intimately linked to religious beliefs and to the male mask societies of the world of Je (or Gye).
- Reestablishing communal balance: These masks appear mainly during funeral ceremonies of notable persons or elders of the community. Their function is to purify the village, to drive away the negative influences born of death, and to guide the deceased’s soul serenely to the realm of the ancestors.
- A strict prohibition: Because of the formidable spiritual power they hold during rituals, these masks must traditionally not be seen by women, under penalty of mystical sanctions or fertility troubles.
- The animal attribute: The presence of horns symbolizes the alliance between the human world and the forces of the bush, combining human wisdom with the raw power of nature.
3. Style characteristics
Several anatomical and plastic criteria characterize Yaouré sculptors’ work on this piece:
- The serrated border: This is the striking visual signature of this ethnic group. The entire perimeter of the face is outlined by a sawtooth or zigzag frieze. This crenellated collar subtly isolates the sacred face from the rest of the structure.
- The headdress and horns: The summit of the head is crowned by a pair of mammal horns (evoking an antelope or a bovine), one showing signs of wear. The high forehead is magnified by a tripartite coiffure adorned with fine geometric motifs etched in triangles.
- The inward expression: The eyebrows form two perfect continuous arches that converge toward a long, extremely narrow nose. Almond-shaped eyes, almost closed, confer a gravity and total serenity to the expression.
- The lip appendage and the rear: Under the mouth unfolds a double sculpted protrusion resembling a traditionally braided beard. At the back, the hollowing is deep and regular, fitted with fine horizontal vision slits and marked by a patina of internal use testifying to successive ritual portages.
Packages are quickly sent from Monday to Saturday with a tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France and 2 to 5 days across Europe. Worldwide delivery.
We speak English.
Mask African art African mask art arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Statue African art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateIvory Coast
Yaouré
Wood
Height: 350mm
Width: 145mm
Depth: 80mm
Delivered without pedestal
This carved wooden mask testifies to the exceptional refinement of Yaouré (or Yauré) statuary from Ivory Coast. Although it shares a strong stylistic and geographic kinship with Baoulé art, certain graphic conventions confirm its belonging to Yaouré workshops.
1. Geographical and cultural origin
- The Yaouré people: This small community lives in the central region of Ivory Coast, surrounded by the Baoulé to the east and the Guro to the west.
- An art of transition: Yaouré statuary achieves a remarkable aesthetic synthesis, borrowing the softness and roundedness of Baoulé faces while integrating the geometric rigor and straight lines of Guro art.
2. Ritual use and spiritual function
This piece is intimately linked to religious beliefs and to the male mask societies of the world of Je (or Gye).
- Reestablishing communal balance: These masks appear mainly during funeral ceremonies of notable persons or elders of the community. Their function is to purify the village, to drive away the negative influences born of death, and to guide the deceased’s soul serenely to the realm of the ancestors.
- A strict prohibition: Because of the formidable spiritual power they hold during rituals, these masks must traditionally not be seen by women, under penalty of mystical sanctions or fertility troubles.
- The animal attribute: The presence of horns symbolizes the alliance between the human world and the forces of the bush, combining human wisdom with the raw power of nature.
3. Style characteristics
Several anatomical and plastic criteria characterize Yaouré sculptors’ work on this piece:
- The serrated border: This is the striking visual signature of this ethnic group. The entire perimeter of the face is outlined by a sawtooth or zigzag frieze. This crenellated collar subtly isolates the sacred face from the rest of the structure.
- The headdress and horns: The summit of the head is crowned by a pair of mammal horns (evoking an antelope or a bovine), one showing signs of wear. The high forehead is magnified by a tripartite coiffure adorned with fine geometric motifs etched in triangles.
- The inward expression: The eyebrows form two perfect continuous arches that converge toward a long, extremely narrow nose. Almond-shaped eyes, almost closed, confer a gravity and total serenity to the expression.
- The lip appendage and the rear: Under the mouth unfolds a double sculpted protrusion resembling a traditionally braided beard. At the back, the hollowing is deep and regular, fitted with fine horizontal vision slits and marked by a patina of internal use testifying to successive ritual portages.
Packages are quickly sent from Monday to Saturday with a tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France and 2 to 5 days across Europe. Worldwide delivery.
We speak English.
Mask African art African mask art arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Statue African art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Indigenous object name
Ceremonial mask
Ethnic group/ culture
Yaure
Country of Origin
Côte d'Ivoire
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Excellent condition
Sold by
