A Yaure mask

Estimated price  500 - 600 €

A Yaure mask called "Masque de réjouissances" (fertility-mask), collected in the region of Bouaflé, provenance Abdoulaye Bakayoko, Abidjan, Abdoulaye Bakayoko is a distinguished antique art dealer based in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, renowned for his expertise in traditional West African art. He serves as the President of the Union Nationale des Antiquaires de Côte d'Ivoire (UNACI), the national association representing antique dealers in the Ivory Coast. Mr. Bakayoko is internationally recognized for his deep knowledge of African tribal art, with a particular focus on the cultural artifacts of Côte d'Ivoire. His collection encompasses a wide range of traditional pieces, including masks and statues from various ethnic groups such as the Dan, Bété, and Baoulé peoples.

The Yaure mask called "Masque de réjouissances" (often translated as celebration or festivity mask) is a traditional artifact of the Yaure people, an Akan subgroup located primarily in Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), particularly around the Bouaflé region in central Côte d’Ivoire.

This mask features a hollow oval form with a small pointed mouth beneath a slender, narrow nose. The eyes are heavy-lidded slits under high arched brows, and scarification marks adorn the temples and the bridge of the nose. A zigzag hairstyle frames the face, and the mask is surmounted by an unidentified animal figure. The outline is characterized by a distinctive zigzag pattern, with Amadou Bouaflé and was documented during a performance for a Wolfgang Jaenicke video clip in Abidjan on December 30, 2019. 

In Yaure society, masks like the "Masque de réjouissances" are more than artistic expressions; they are sacred objects used in various ceremonies. These masks often appear during festive events, such as dances and agricultural celebrations, serving to honor spirits and maintain social cohesion. They are believed to embody protective spirits or represent ancestral forces, playing a role in rituals that seek to ensure community prosperity and fertility.

Auction results: Yaure mask, Lempertz, Sothebys, Christies, Dorotheum,

The Yaure (also Yohure) are geographically and linguistically situated between the Baule, an Akan language group to the east, and the Guro and Gban (Gagu), southern Mande-speaking peoples to the west. Depending upon their proximity to these neighbors, the inhabitants of Yaure villages are either primarily Baule or Mande speaking. The style of their masks reflects artistic borrowings and influences in the region. For example, the characteristic zigzag beard and scalloped hairline that appear on Baule masks are also found on masks from both the Baule and Guro.

Gallery result: Art Blackburn: Institution results Smithsonian

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Price on request.

Height: 32 cm
Weight: 1,2 kg incl. stand