Warrior Mask / Power Mask - Grebo - Côte d'Ivoire
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Selected by Julien Gauthier
A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
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Masque de guerrier / de puissance, a wooden Grebo mask from Côte d'Ivoire, measuring 365 mm high, 160 mm wide and 120 mm deep, in good condition.
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Description from the seller
Ivory Coast
Grebo
Wood
Height: 365mm
Width: 160mm
Depth: 120mm
This magnificent wooden mask with a height of 36.5 cm is an emblematic piece of the Grebo (or Kru) ethnicity, a people settled in the southwestern border region of Ivory Coast and Liberia.
This cubist and abstract art style profoundly influenced Western artists in the early 20th century. It is precisely a Grebo mask very similar to one acquired by Pablo Picasso in 1912, which inspired his famous sheet metal sculpture “Guitar,” thus revolutionizing Cubism with the concept of protruding cylindrical eyes.
Here is the detailed analysis of its origin, structure, and ritual uses.
1. Stylistic and Aesthetic Characteristics
Grebo art radically departs from realism in favor of a rigorous geometric construction and a striking economy of means.
Face Flatness: The front face is structured around a large oval, elongated flat panel.
Tubular Eyes: This is the most spectacular feature of Grebo style. The eyes are represented by two strong cylinders projecting outward, with circular ends painted white (kaolin). This projection gives the mask a fixed, hypnotic, and menacing gaze.
Nose and Mouth: A long, straight, angular nose in the shape of an inverted arrow separates the two eyes. It connects to a rectangular relief mouth, carved with geometric chevron motifs or cross-incisions evoking threatening teeth.
The Hair or Upper Headdress: The top of the mask is crowned by a large protrusion in the shape of a spatula or inverted fan, tinted with a dark patina, extending the piece’s verticality.
Traditional Polychromy: The front face uses the region’s three major ritual colors: a yellow/ochre forehead, a broad brick-red central band framing the eyes (pierced by small viewing holes for the dancer), and a kaolin-white chin showing natural erosion traces.
The Back and Mounting: The reverse of the object reveals a deeply hollowed inner face, tinted dark brown, as well as circular perforations along the lower edge intended for sewing a costume from plant fibers or fabrics.
2. Functional Use and Ritual Significance
Among the Grebo, society is traditionally structured into age classes and warrior societies. Masks do not represent human ancestors, but forest spirits (spiritons) invisible and ambivalent.
A. The Spirit of War and Justice
These masks, with a fierce and geometric appearance, were mainly worn by initiates during war-related ceremonies. They served to galvanize fighters, frighten enemies, or welcome warriors returning from battle.
They also intervened during important councils and judgments. The appearance of the mask could solidify the authority of elders, enforce customary laws, and render undeniable justice under the protection of the spirits.
B. Festive Celebrations and Agricultural Rites
Outside periods of conflict, the mask could come out for major communal entertainment, during the enthronement of a chief, or during agricultural rites to solicit fertility of the land and protection of crops.
During ceremonial outings, the dancer was fully concealed under a heavy fiber costume. His movements were jerky and unpredictable, mimicking the wild power of nature and the all-seeing spirit, symbolized by the tubular eyes capable of “seeing beyond” the visible world.
In short
This 36.5 cm Grebo mask is a superb testament to African plastic inventiveness. Combining warrior strength and geometric abstraction, it remains a centerpiece for understanding the evolution of Côte d'Ivoire’s maritime rituals and its major historical impact on Western modern art.
Packages are shipped Monday through Saturday with insurance and a tracking number.
Delivery in France within 1 to 3 days via Chronopost, 2 to 5 days throughout the European Union.
Delivery to 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 • 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 TranslateIvory Coast
Grebo
Wood
Height: 365mm
Width: 160mm
Depth: 120mm
This magnificent wooden mask with a height of 36.5 cm is an emblematic piece of the Grebo (or Kru) ethnicity, a people settled in the southwestern border region of Ivory Coast and Liberia.
This cubist and abstract art style profoundly influenced Western artists in the early 20th century. It is precisely a Grebo mask very similar to one acquired by Pablo Picasso in 1912, which inspired his famous sheet metal sculpture “Guitar,” thus revolutionizing Cubism with the concept of protruding cylindrical eyes.
Here is the detailed analysis of its origin, structure, and ritual uses.
1. Stylistic and Aesthetic Characteristics
Grebo art radically departs from realism in favor of a rigorous geometric construction and a striking economy of means.
Face Flatness: The front face is structured around a large oval, elongated flat panel.
Tubular Eyes: This is the most spectacular feature of Grebo style. The eyes are represented by two strong cylinders projecting outward, with circular ends painted white (kaolin). This projection gives the mask a fixed, hypnotic, and menacing gaze.
Nose and Mouth: A long, straight, angular nose in the shape of an inverted arrow separates the two eyes. It connects to a rectangular relief mouth, carved with geometric chevron motifs or cross-incisions evoking threatening teeth.
The Hair or Upper Headdress: The top of the mask is crowned by a large protrusion in the shape of a spatula or inverted fan, tinted with a dark patina, extending the piece’s verticality.
Traditional Polychromy: The front face uses the region’s three major ritual colors: a yellow/ochre forehead, a broad brick-red central band framing the eyes (pierced by small viewing holes for the dancer), and a kaolin-white chin showing natural erosion traces.
The Back and Mounting: The reverse of the object reveals a deeply hollowed inner face, tinted dark brown, as well as circular perforations along the lower edge intended for sewing a costume from plant fibers or fabrics.
2. Functional Use and Ritual Significance
Among the Grebo, society is traditionally structured into age classes and warrior societies. Masks do not represent human ancestors, but forest spirits (spiritons) invisible and ambivalent.
A. The Spirit of War and Justice
These masks, with a fierce and geometric appearance, were mainly worn by initiates during war-related ceremonies. They served to galvanize fighters, frighten enemies, or welcome warriors returning from battle.
They also intervened during important councils and judgments. The appearance of the mask could solidify the authority of elders, enforce customary laws, and render undeniable justice under the protection of the spirits.
B. Festive Celebrations and Agricultural Rites
Outside periods of conflict, the mask could come out for major communal entertainment, during the enthronement of a chief, or during agricultural rites to solicit fertility of the land and protection of crops.
During ceremonial outings, the dancer was fully concealed under a heavy fiber costume. His movements were jerky and unpredictable, mimicking the wild power of nature and the all-seeing spirit, symbolized by the tubular eyes capable of “seeing beyond” the visible world.
In short
This 36.5 cm Grebo mask is a superb testament to African plastic inventiveness. Combining warrior strength and geometric abstraction, it remains a centerpiece for understanding the evolution of Côte d'Ivoire’s maritime rituals and its major historical impact on Western modern art.
Packages are shipped Monday through Saturday with insurance and a tracking number.
Delivery in France within 1 to 3 days via Chronopost, 2 to 5 days throughout the European Union.
Delivery to 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 • 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
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