Mask of the cult of the gé - Yaure - Côte d'Ivoire
02
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21
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€ 1
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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 du culte du gé, a Yaouré wooden mask from Côte d'Ivoire, measuring 370 × 160 × 155 mm and in good condition.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Ivory Coast
Baoulé
Wood
Height: 370 mm
Width: 160 mm
Depth: 155 mm
Small losses on the back due to use and aging.
This mask comes from the Yaouré (Yaure) people, a cultural group in Ivory Coast who are geographically and stylistically close to their Baoulé and Gouro neighbors.
Although it evokes Baoulé aesthetics due to strong artistic similarities and shared influences among these central Ivory Coast ethnic groups, the sculptural details of this piece (notably the tooth-edged border characteristic of the face) point to the specific refinement of Yaouré art.
1. Stylistic and Aesthetic Characteristics
This mask stands out for its exceptionally fine execution and pursuit of ideal harmony:
• The face and eyes: The face has an oval, elongated profile with great gentleness. The eyes are carved in crescent shapes, nearly closed, topped with fine arched eyebrows that meet at the base of a long, straight nose. The mouth is small, projected forward in a expression of serene inwardness.
• The tooth-edged border: The contour of the face is outlined by a delicate sawtooth frieze. This feature is one of the most emblematic plastic signatures of Yaouré masks, serving to delineate the anthropomorphic face from the coiffure.
• The complex coiffure: The head is crowned with an imposing and highly structured hairstyle, divided into ridges or braids deeply incised with geometric parallel lines.
• The back and openings: The reverse of the mask is deeply hollowed to fit the wearer's face. The eyes and mouth are perforated to allow vision and breathing, and the contour is pierced with several fixation holes intended to attach the raffia fiber costume.
• The patina: The object bears a dark, dense, satin patina, evidence of careful handling and ritual manipulations.
2. Usage and Ritual Significance
Among the Yaouré, masks of this type are major sacred objects associated with male mask societies and the Je (or Gye) cult:
• Funeral ceremonies: These masks are mainly worn during mourning rites for important figures. Their dance chiefly serves to purify the village, restore the social and cosmic balance disturbed by death, and guide the deceased's soul to the realm of the ancestors.
• A formidable spiritual power: Although aesthetically refined and appearing peaceful, these masks carry a powerful mystic charge (Sewa). They are considered direct intermediaries with forces from the beyond.
• Prohibition for the profane gaze: Traditionally, handling and viewing these masks during certain ritual phases were strictly forbidden to women under penalty of spiritual sanctions or sterility. The dancers moved to the sound of sacred music and instruments to channel the mask spirit's energy for the benefit of the entire community.
Packages are shipped Monday to 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 to the rest of Europe and worldwide via Colissimo International.
We speak english
Mask african art Afrikanische Maskenkunst 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 TranslateIvory Coast
Baoulé
Wood
Height: 370 mm
Width: 160 mm
Depth: 155 mm
Small losses on the back due to use and aging.
This mask comes from the Yaouré (Yaure) people, a cultural group in Ivory Coast who are geographically and stylistically close to their Baoulé and Gouro neighbors.
Although it evokes Baoulé aesthetics due to strong artistic similarities and shared influences among these central Ivory Coast ethnic groups, the sculptural details of this piece (notably the tooth-edged border characteristic of the face) point to the specific refinement of Yaouré art.
1. Stylistic and Aesthetic Characteristics
This mask stands out for its exceptionally fine execution and pursuit of ideal harmony:
• The face and eyes: The face has an oval, elongated profile with great gentleness. The eyes are carved in crescent shapes, nearly closed, topped with fine arched eyebrows that meet at the base of a long, straight nose. The mouth is small, projected forward in a expression of serene inwardness.
• The tooth-edged border: The contour of the face is outlined by a delicate sawtooth frieze. This feature is one of the most emblematic plastic signatures of Yaouré masks, serving to delineate the anthropomorphic face from the coiffure.
• The complex coiffure: The head is crowned with an imposing and highly structured hairstyle, divided into ridges or braids deeply incised with geometric parallel lines.
• The back and openings: The reverse of the mask is deeply hollowed to fit the wearer's face. The eyes and mouth are perforated to allow vision and breathing, and the contour is pierced with several fixation holes intended to attach the raffia fiber costume.
• The patina: The object bears a dark, dense, satin patina, evidence of careful handling and ritual manipulations.
2. Usage and Ritual Significance
Among the Yaouré, masks of this type are major sacred objects associated with male mask societies and the Je (or Gye) cult:
• Funeral ceremonies: These masks are mainly worn during mourning rites for important figures. Their dance chiefly serves to purify the village, restore the social and cosmic balance disturbed by death, and guide the deceased's soul to the realm of the ancestors.
• A formidable spiritual power: Although aesthetically refined and appearing peaceful, these masks carry a powerful mystic charge (Sewa). They are considered direct intermediaries with forces from the beyond.
• Prohibition for the profane gaze: Traditionally, handling and viewing these masks during certain ritual phases were strictly forbidden to women under penalty of spiritual sanctions or sterility. The dancers moved to the sound of sacred music and instruments to channel the mask spirit's energy for the benefit of the entire community.
Packages are shipped Monday to 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 to the rest of Europe and worldwide via Colissimo International.
We speak english
Mask african art Afrikanische Maskenkunst 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
Mask of the cult of the gé
Ethnic group/ culture
Yaure
Country of Origin
Côte d'Ivoire
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Good condition
Sold by
