Description
The hairstyle and the scarifications on this female mask, named Gu after the spirit it embodied, reflect the beauty standards favored by the Guro. Elaborate hair arrangements express both social status and wealth, since a woman sporting one must rely on the help of fellow women for its creation. Though the mask is no longer performed, Gu once formed a trio with two male characters. The refinement of Gu’s facial features stood in stark contrast with her chaotic and turbulent performance.
Provenance
Walter S. (died 1954) and Kate L. Brewster (died 1947), Chicago, Ill., by 1947; bequeathed to the Art Institute, 1950.
Accession Number
68498
Medium
Wood and pigment
Dimensions
31.8 × 13 × 9.8 cm (12 1/2 × 5 1/8 × 3 7/8 in.)
Classification
masks
Credit Line
Bequest of Kate L. Brewster