A wooden sculpture - Guro - Côte d'Ivoire (No reserve price)

Guro Fly Whip - Gohitafla Region, Côte d’Ivoire, incl stand. This elongated object combines a carved, anthropomorphic handle with a dense bundle of fine plant or animal fibers. It is capped by a narrow human head with a high forehead, prominent eyes, a protruding nose, and a finely sculpted mouth. Below the head, the neck transitions into a cylindrical, multi-banded handle; cords and fiber bindings are preserved as additional material elements. The dark brown to black, occasionally glossy surface shows signs of wear and deposits. The almost ethereal head above the cascading bundle of fibers lends the whisk a striking yet elegant verticality. Gohitafla is located in the northern Guro region of Côte d’Ivoire and boasts a significant sculptural tradition; around 1900, the artist known in art history as the “Master of Gohitafla” worked there. Fly whisks are documented as ceremonial insignia and prestige objects in various societies of Côte d’Ivoire; figuratively designed handles could further enhance their representative significance. However, the term “fetish fly whisk” should be understood as a traditional attribution in the case of this particular piece. A specific magical-religious function cannot be definitively determined without a documented context of use. Literature (selection): Eberhard Fischer / Lorenz Homberger: The Art of the Guro, Ivory Coast. Zurich 1985. Anne-Marie Bouttiaux: Guro. Milan 2016. Eberhard Fischer / Lorenz Homberger et al.: African Masters. Art of the Ivory Coast. Zurich 2014. 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. MAZ28333 Informant: Bakari Bouafle

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