Mask - Wé - Wobé - Rare masterpiece - Côte d'Ivoire
04
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21
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Current bid
€ 500
Reserve price not met
Expert
Selected by Dimitri André
Holds a postgraduate degree in African studies and 15 years experience in African art.
Estimate € 3,300 - € 3,700
16 other people are watching this object
 Bidder 0015 | €500 | |
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 Bidder 3441 | €250 |
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Wé (Wobé) mask from Côte d’Ivoire, dating to the early 20th century, supplied with a stand, in excellent condition, provenance Evrard Collection, dimensions 23 × 1 × 1 cm, weight 1 g.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
A Wé (Wobé) mask from Côte d’Ivoire with a notable presence
Description of the work
This Wé (Wobé) mask from Côte d’Ivoire features a powerful and expressive sculpture, characteristic of ancient productions from this region. The face is structured by prominent volumes, with a widely open and deeply carved mouth, arranged in overlapping registers, giving the overall piece a strong dramatic intensity.
The straight, broad nose is framed by thick eyelids with prominent contours, while the convex forehead is topped with a band decorated with cauris, a traditional symbolic element associated with prestige, wealth, and spiritual forces.
The dark, old, and irregular patina indicates prolonged use and repeated ritual handling. The lateral perforations suggest the past addition of fibers or plant elements, characteristic of Wé masquerades. The overall appearance exudes a strong sculptural presence, typical of masks intended for ceremonial and social contexts.
A true masterpiece of this stylistic corpus.
Provenance — Evrard Collection
This work benefits from a remarkable provenance and will be supplied with an authenticity document.
The Evrard collection is rightly considered a major reference for West African artifacts, and for several reasons. Mr. Evrard was a Consultant on African Art at the Musée de l’Homme (Paris) before 1961, then Director of CRACAP (Centre national de recherche, d’animation et de création pour les arts plastiques). A career of exceptional importance…
Works from his collection have already appeared on the market, notably during the sale of his estate at Ader, Paris (2022). The results of similar masks, visible on databases such as Artkhade, generally show auction prices ranging between €2,000 and €3,500, and sometimes significantly more — some pieces from his collection exceeding €20,000, particularly among objects from Papua New Guinea, which he appreciated as much as those from West Africa.
The object will be packaged with the utmost care.
A tracking number will be provided to ensure the monitoring of the shipment.
Fast and secure shipping.
African art – Tribal art – Primitive art – Mask – Ivory Coast – Wé – Wobé – Art of Africa – Ethnic art – Collection – Decoration – Design – Interior – Contemporary
A Wé (Wobé) mask from Côte d’Ivoire with a notable presence
Description of the work
This Wé (Wobé) mask from Côte d’Ivoire features a powerful and expressive sculpture, characteristic of ancient productions from this region. The face is structured by prominent volumes, with a widely open and deeply carved mouth, arranged in overlapping registers, giving the overall piece a strong dramatic intensity.
The straight, broad nose is framed by thick eyelids with prominent contours, while the convex forehead is topped with a band decorated with cauris, a traditional symbolic element associated with prestige, wealth, and spiritual forces.
The dark, old, and irregular patina indicates prolonged use and repeated ritual handling. The lateral perforations suggest the past addition of fibers or plant elements, characteristic of Wé masquerades. The overall appearance exudes a strong sculptural presence, typical of masks intended for ceremonial and social contexts.
A true masterpiece of this stylistic corpus.
Provenance — Evrard Collection
This work benefits from a remarkable provenance and will be supplied with an authenticity document.
The Evrard collection is rightly considered a major reference for West African artifacts, and for several reasons. Mr. Evrard was a Consultant on African Art at the Musée de l’Homme (Paris) before 1961, then Director of CRACAP (Centre national de recherche, d’animation et de création pour les arts plastiques). A career of exceptional importance…
Works from his collection have already appeared on the market, notably during the sale of his estate at Ader, Paris (2022). The results of similar masks, visible on databases such as Artkhade, generally show auction prices ranging between €2,000 and €3,500, and sometimes significantly more — some pieces from his collection exceeding €20,000, particularly among objects from Papua New Guinea, which he appreciated as much as those from West Africa.
The object will be packaged with the utmost care.
A tracking number will be provided to ensure the monitoring of the shipment.
Fast and secure shipping.
African art – Tribal art – Primitive art – Mask – Ivory Coast – Wé – Wobé – Art of Africa – Ethnic art – Collection – Decoration – Design – Interior – Contemporary
Details
Indigenous object name
Wé - Wobé - Rare masterpiece
Country of Origin
Côte d'Ivoire
Period
Early 20th century
Sold with stand
Yes
Condition
Excellent condition
Title of artwork
Mask
Height
23 cm
Width
1 cm
Depth
1 cm
Weight
1 g
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