A Grebo mask, Taï region, Ivory Coast. Incl. stand This anthropomorphic wooden mask is an iconic work of the Grebo (or Krou) culture, originating from the border region between Liberia and southwestern Côte d'Ivoire. Renowned for its radical geometric aesthetic, which strongly influenced Pablo Picasso’s Cubist work in the early 20th century, it is distinguished by the three-dimensional projection of its facial features. The facial structure and its tubular eyes, along with the flat, elongated surface at the base of the mask, form a vertical, relatively flat, oval wooden panel on which the various features are rendered in relief. The most striking feature is its six eyes, shaped like protruding cylinders or tubes projecting forward, arranged in symmetrical pairs along the nose. These oversized tubular eyes traditionally symbolize the clairvoyance and spiritual gaze of the ancestors. The nose is represented by a long, straight, pyramidal protrusion that descends between the eye cylinders. An open, parallelepiped-shaped mouth is located at the very bottom; the mouth forms a rectangular block projecting forward. It is slightly ajar, revealing white engravings simulating teeth. The underside of the chin is adorned with an imposing beard made of braided and suspended strands of raffia or jute fibers, lending a raw and dynamic texture to the whole. A frontal panel extends upward into a large, flat, semi-oval or paddle-shaped structure. The upper panel features a geometric striped design painted with horizontal and curved bands alternating polychrome pigments: red ochre, creamy white, and blue-gray. A vertical center line divides the headdress into two symmetrical sections. Selected Bibliography Fischer, Eberhard / Homberger, Lorenz: *Die Kunst der Elfenbeinküste*. Zurich, 1979. Himmelheber, Hans: *Negerkunst und Negerkünstler*. Braunschweig 1960. Harney, Elizabeth: In Senghor's Shadow: Art, Politics, and the Avant-Garde in Senegal, 1960-1995. Durham 2004. Rubin, William (ed.): Primitivism in 20th Century Art: Affinity of the Tribal and the Modern. New York 1984. Perrois, Louis: Arts de la Côte d'Ivoire. Paris 1993. Some of the information is generated by artificial intelligence and is based on published sources from the fields of ethnography, archaeology, and art history. Informant: Bakari MAZ15302