This is an excellent example of the Art of the Sculptors of West Africa.
It is a mask of the Guro people, carved from wood, with a polychrome finish.
The entire piece is carved from a single wood billet, spectacularly demonstrating the maker's skill.
It depicts the position of the human species within the Creation.
The face is surrounded by animal features, signifying the dependence of people on the creatures around them.
The bird at the top, usually a Hornbill, represents the creatures of the air.
The Antelope horns show the presence of the creatures of the bush or forest, and the serrations below show the jaws of the crocodile: a creature of the water.
The message is that each depends on the others for existence and survival.
What is done to one, affects all.
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