Warrior Mask / Power Mask - Grebo - Côte d'Ivoire
01
day
15
hours
59
minutes
03
seconds
Current bid
€ 85
Reserve price not met
Expert
Selected by Julien Gauthier
A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
 | €85 | |
|---|---|---|
| €75 | |
| €60 | |
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Grebo warrior/power mask carved in wood, from Côte d'Ivoire; dimensions 450 × 135 × 135 mm; in good condition.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Ivory Coast
Grebo
Wood
Height: 450mm
Width: 135mm
Depth: 135mm
Grebo Mask (a people established in the far southwest of Ivory Coast and Liberia, neighboring the Dan and Kran). The Grebo share some stylistic influences with their neighbors, but they push geometricization and abstraction much further.
Here is what characterizes this mask and its specific use:
1. The Grebo stylistic decoding
If the Dan sometimes use tubular eyes, the Grebo have made them their absolute signature, driven to a level of abstraction that has deeply fascinated and influenced the cubist artists at the start of the 20th century (notably Picasso).
• The face on a plank and the nose on a ridge: the face is not excavated or realistic; it is a flat vertical block, cut in two by a long, straight nose that serves as the axis of symmetry.
• The protruding cylindrical eyes: this is the quintessential Grebo trait. On some masks, you can find two, four, or even six pairs of eyes. Here, this single pair of large cylinders projected forward creates a fixed, almost hypnotic gaze.
• The parallelepiped mouth: Placed at the bottom of the structure, it is entirely geometric, open, and reveals notches representing the teeth.
2. Usage and ritual function among the Grebo
Among the Grebo, these male masks embody invisible and formidable forest spirits.
• A warrior and judicial function: Unlike the Dan race masks, the Grebo mask has a function strongly linked to war, power, and justice. It was worn to galvanize warriors before battles, to celebrate victories, or during major rituals of the men’s secret society.
• The expression of clairvoyance: The massive tubular eyes do not symbolize deformity, but a superior spiritual capacity: the ability to see beyond the visible world, to detect sorcerers, hidden threats, or malicious intentions. It is a mask of power and vigilance.
• The blue pigments and the headdress: The use of blue (often derived from colonial laundry blue) and the crown of dark feathers reinforce its sacred and sacrificial dimension, showing that the object has been endowed with an important ritual charge to impress the community during its outings.
Packages are shipped Monday through Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery in France within 1 to 3 days via Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery in the rest of Europe and worldwide via Colissimo International.
We speak english
Mask African art African mask art
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
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 Translate Ivory Coast
Grebo
Wood
Height: 450mm
Width: 135mm
Depth: 135mm
Grebo Mask (a people established in the far southwest of Ivory Coast and Liberia, neighboring the Dan and Kran). The Grebo share some stylistic influences with their neighbors, but they push geometricization and abstraction much further.
Here is what characterizes this mask and its specific use:
1. The Grebo stylistic decoding
If the Dan sometimes use tubular eyes, the Grebo have made them their absolute signature, driven to a level of abstraction that has deeply fascinated and influenced the cubist artists at the start of the 20th century (notably Picasso).
• The face on a plank and the nose on a ridge: the face is not excavated or realistic; it is a flat vertical block, cut in two by a long, straight nose that serves as the axis of symmetry.
• The protruding cylindrical eyes: this is the quintessential Grebo trait. On some masks, you can find two, four, or even six pairs of eyes. Here, this single pair of large cylinders projected forward creates a fixed, almost hypnotic gaze.
• The parallelepiped mouth: Placed at the bottom of the structure, it is entirely geometric, open, and reveals notches representing the teeth.
2. Usage and ritual function among the Grebo
Among the Grebo, these male masks embody invisible and formidable forest spirits.
• A warrior and judicial function: Unlike the Dan race masks, the Grebo mask has a function strongly linked to war, power, and justice. It was worn to galvanize warriors before battles, to celebrate victories, or during major rituals of the men’s secret society.
• The expression of clairvoyance: The massive tubular eyes do not symbolize deformity, but a superior spiritual capacity: the ability to see beyond the visible world, to detect sorcerers, hidden threats, or malicious intentions. It is a mask of power and vigilance.
• The blue pigments and the headdress: The use of blue (often derived from colonial laundry blue) and the crown of dark feathers reinforce its sacred and sacrificial dimension, showing that the object has been endowed with an important ritual charge to impress the community during its outings.
Packages are shipped Monday through Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery in France within 1 to 3 days via Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery in the rest of Europe and worldwide via Colissimo International.
We speak english
Mask African art African mask art
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
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
Warrior Mask / Power Mask
Ethnic group/ culture
Grebo
Country of Origin
Côte d'Ivoire
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Good condition
Sold by
