Lot n° 357
Estimation :
7000 - 10000
EUR
Result with fees
Result
: 13 650EUR
Gyè mask, Yaouré, Ivory Coast - Lot 357
Gyè mask, Yaouré, Ivory Coast
Wood, dark brown patina, metal.
H. 28 cm
Provenance :
Bernd Muhlack Collection, Germany, ca. 1969
Michael Muhlack Collection
The incredible and surprising peculiarity of the Yauré's artistic creation lies in the compound, interwoven marriage of forms and attributes, skilfully linking human and zoomorphic aspects through a single entity. Man and animal combined, linked under one entity: a mask. An entity as ingenious as it is incredible, destined to transcend the beliefs of their society.
Belonging to either the je or the Io society, masks such as this embodied intermediaries who influenced the supernatural forces known as Yu, responsible for man's ills, imbalances and prosperity.
Spiritual intermediary entities, extremely dangerous to manipulate and to keep away from women, they intercede between humans and the invisible Creator God to overcome and ward off the fear of social imbalance and disorder, and to restore and promote community harmony. They "usually danced at night", according to Joseph Eysseric (in. Rapport sur une mission scientifique à la Côte d'Ivoire, Nouvelles archivres des missions scientifiques et littéraire, Paris, E.Leroux, 1899).
Obedient to the aesthetic and moral canons of Yauré beauty, "the portrait-masks would not fully fulfill their function without including the animal world that is inseparable from Yohouré humanity". (Bertrand Goy).
Animality is asserted, mastered, by the tension of two horns, "buffalo, antelope?" (B. Holas), curved, plunging onto each side of the face. Their entire surface is finely decorated with circular incised shapes, revealing a sophisticated, delicately engraved, rounded headdress at the point of attachment. They embrace and frame the top of the face right up to the ears, leading the eye right to the mask.
The curved, slightly recessed lower part of the face gently marries the shape of a heart, accentuated by clearly defined, arched eyebrows, subtly linked to the outer rim.
The intensity of the gaze, of the mask's symbolic role, of its serene yet concentrated expressiveness, suggesting strength of interiority and continuous discernment, is rendered by the shape of the eyes, inscribed in a rounded, raised form. The half-closed eyelids are weighed down by their size and proportions, chosen by the sculptor. The slightly marked gaze is represented by two horizontal linear incisions, symbolizing the metaphorical role it plays, animated, as an intermediary between the visible and invisible worlds... The interiority and permanent acuity of observation suggested and linked here by this aspect.
"The attributes of Yaoure masks reflect a highly elaborate symbolism, a complex mystical thought. (Bohumil Holas, Civilisations et Arts de l'Ouest Africain, Paris, PUF, 1976). Among these specificities, the addition of copper fragments, triangles or nails, "supposed to substitute for gold to symbolize the wealth and opulence that the precious metal had." (Bertrand Goy, In. Yaouré / Joseph Eysseric, Rapport sur une mission scientifique à la Côte d'Ivoire, Nouvelles archivres des missions scientifiques et littéraire, Paris, E.Leroux, 1899, p.227). As a sign of this wealth and prestige, a metal triangle appears between the two superciliary arches, heralding the top of the linear nasal bridge towards the superbly chiselled nose.
The oval face is enhanced by the remains of a jagged collar.
The irregular patina on the surface, with several juxtaposed layers of different hues, attests to its use and age.
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