A wooden mask - Gurunsi - Burkina Faso (No reserve price)

Gurunsi Elephant Mask - Boura Region, Burkina Faso, incl stand. The wooden mask derives its power from a striking combination of animal form and geometric abstraction. Two powerful, leaf-shaped ears rise above the compact head; from the center of the face grows a long, strongly curved trunk, flanked by two sickle-shaped tusks. The eyes are formed as narrow slits, while concentric circles and angular incised patterns divide the forehead and cheeks. Dark, reddish-brown, and grayish-white pigment remnants, as well as wear and notches, give the surface a vibrant, aged appearance. The term "Gurunsi" encompasses several culturally and linguistically distinct groups in southern and central Burkina Faso, including the Nuna, Nunuma, and Winiama. Their mask art is characterized by abstracted animal figures and pronounced geometric ornamentation. Comparable elephant masks are particularly well-documented among the Nunuma. Masks of this tradition do not merely embody depicted animals, but can represent guardian and wilderness spirits connected to the community and ancestors. They appear in various contexts, including initiations, funerals, and ceremonies of purification and communal well-being. A more precise ethnic attribution of the piece remains open without documented field context. Literature (selection): Christopher D. Roy: Art of the Upper Volta Rivers. Paris 1987. Thomas G. B. Wheelock / Christopher D. Roy: Land of the Flying Masks. Munich 2007. Google Books Jean-Baptiste Kiéthéga: L’or de la Volta Noire. Paris 1983. Some of the information and photos are generated by artificial intelligence and is based on published sources from the fields of ethnography, archaeology, and art history documents. All information and photos are protected by copyright. Inv. No. MAZ29515

Schätzpreis:€325

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