Guro Female Figure, Ivory Coast

Lucien Van de Velde, Antwerp, acquired in Ivory Coast, circa 1965
Alan Brandt, New York
Lee A. Ault, acquired from the above in 1974 (inv. no. "692")
By descent from the above
Sotheby's, New York, May 5, 1997, lot 90, consigned by the above
Myron Kunin, Minneapolis, acquired at the above auction

Good condition for an object of this type and age. Losses to three toes on proper left foot. Heel of proper right foot is broken and glued. Proper left foot has been broken in three pieces and glued. Open age crack down center of front of the figure, with some old fill. Minor marks, nicks, scratches, abrasions, small chips and cracks consistent with age and use. Fine glossy blackened patina, dry in some places. Vegetable fiber coiffure is dry and fragile with some fraying and losses. Fixed permanently to modern base.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The Guro sculptural corpus is best known by the elegant masks which captivated early European modernists in the circle of Paul Guillaume, and also includes figural heddle pulleys and small ritual objects.  Unlike the neighboring Baule, free standing Guro figural sculpture is exceedingly rare.  The present figure is exceptional both in its scale and in its combination of a classic sinuous Guro-style face with relatively cubistic architecture of the body.