.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
En pays Guro, les masques zamblé, représentant un être mythique masculin, associent les traits zoomorphes de l’antilope, dont ils empruntent les cornes, et de la panthère ou du léopard, visibles sur la partie inférieure du visage. L’élu, dépositaire de cette fonction rituelle, est également chargé des offrandes faites au masque. Le zamblé s’inscrit dans une triade de masques sacrés comprenant Gù, sa belle épouse, et Zàùlì, son frère grotesque. Porté par le meilleur danseur du village, il se manifeste lors des funérailles, des fêtes commémoratives ou de spectacles plus profanes, tels que les concours de danse. Il est la propriété de familles désignées qui en assurent la garde et auxquelles la communauté peut adresser des offrandes pour solliciter protection ou exprimer sa gratitude. Considéré comme un esprit protecteur du lignage et du village auxquels il appartient, le zamblé est aussi perçu comme une entité ambivalente, capable de rendre la justice lorsque les circonstances l’exigent.
Cet exemplaire, issu de l’ancienne collection Myron Kunin, se distingue par la tension élégante de ses formes convexes et le soin subtil apporté par l’artiste à la sculpture. Il déploie un jeu raffiné de courbes et de lignes, rehaussé par une série de motifs géométriques qui ornent sa surface sombre, enrichie d’une polychromie harmonieuse. Le visage allongé, dont la mâchoire entrouverte laisse entrevoir les canines, s’élargit vers le sommet pour former une paire de cornes d’une grande élégance.
Pour un exemple analogue, voir celui conservé au Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv. n° 1979.206.105).
Among the Guro, Zamble masks, representing a mythical male being, combine the zoomorphic traits of the antelope, from which they borrow the horns, with those of the panther or leopard, visible on the lower part of the face. The elected custodian of this ritual role is also responsible for the offerings made to the mask. The Zamble belongs to a triad of sacred masks that includes Gù, his beautiful wife, and Zàùlì, his grotesque brother. Worn by the village’s most skilled dancer, it appears during funerals, commemorative festivities, or more secular performances, such as dance competitions. It is the property of designated families who maintain it, to whom the community may present offerings to seek protection or express gratitude. Considered a protective spirit of the lineage and village to which it belongs, the Zamble is also perceived as an ambivalent entity, capable of administering justice when circumstances demand.
This example, from the former Myron Kunin collection, is distinguished by the elegant tension of its convex forms and the subtle care bestowed by the artist in its carving. It displays a refined interplay of curves and lines, enhanced by a series of geometric motifs adorning its dark surface, enriched with harmonious polychromy. The elongated face, with a slightly open jaw revealing canines, widens toward the top to form a pair of highly elegant horns.
For a comparable example, see the one held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv. no. 1979.206.105).
Cet exemplaire, issu de l’ancienne collection Myron Kunin, se distingue par la tension élégante de ses formes convexes et le soin subtil apporté par l’artiste à la sculpture. Il déploie un jeu raffiné de courbes et de lignes, rehaussé par une série de motifs géométriques qui ornent sa surface sombre, enrichie d’une polychromie harmonieuse. Le visage allongé, dont la mâchoire entrouverte laisse entrevoir les canines, s’élargit vers le sommet pour former une paire de cornes d’une grande élégance.
Pour un exemple analogue, voir celui conservé au Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv. n° 1979.206.105).
Among the Guro, Zamble masks, representing a mythical male being, combine the zoomorphic traits of the antelope, from which they borrow the horns, with those of the panther or leopard, visible on the lower part of the face. The elected custodian of this ritual role is also responsible for the offerings made to the mask. The Zamble belongs to a triad of sacred masks that includes Gù, his beautiful wife, and Zàùlì, his grotesque brother. Worn by the village’s most skilled dancer, it appears during funerals, commemorative festivities, or more secular performances, such as dance competitions. It is the property of designated families who maintain it, to whom the community may present offerings to seek protection or express gratitude. Considered a protective spirit of the lineage and village to which it belongs, the Zamble is also perceived as an ambivalent entity, capable of administering justice when circumstances demand.
This example, from the former Myron Kunin collection, is distinguished by the elegant tension of its convex forms and the subtle care bestowed by the artist in its carving. It displays a refined interplay of curves and lines, enhanced by a series of geometric motifs adorning its dark surface, enriched with harmonious polychromy. The elongated face, with a slightly open jaw revealing canines, widens toward the top to form a pair of highly elegant horns.
For a comparable example, see the one held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv. no. 1979.206.105).