Mask - Bambara Ngon - Mali
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Starting bid
€ 1
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Expert
Selected by Julien Gauthier
With almost a decade of experience bridging science, museum curation, and traditional blacksmithing, Julien has developed a unique expertise in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 280 - € 350
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Description from the seller
Ngon Mask – Bambara – Mali
Formidable Ngon mask of high quality, belonging to the most demanding corpus of Bambara sculpture. The piece immediately impresses with its sculptural presence, its formal balance, and the evident mastery of the sculptor. The elongated face, powerfully structured around a straight and salient nose, asserts a strong frontal stance and a remarkable visual authority. The almond-shaped eyes, deeply hollowed, confer the mask an almost introspective intensity, reinforcing its ritual and symbolic dimension.
The forehead is outlined by a finely incised band, while the discreet ears and the crested top provide a very accomplished architectural reading. The mouth, treated with sobriety, participates in this restrained, serious, almost meditative expression, characteristic of the great Ngon masks used in Bambara initiation and social contexts. The whole reveals a confident sculpture, without hesitation, where every volume is thought out, mastered, and balanced.
The patina is deep, ancient, with tones ranging from dark brown to black, and with subtly satinized areas from use, bearing witness to a real ritual life. This mask is not a decorative object but a true ceremonial tool, bearing meaning, power, and transmission. By its quality of execution, its formal strength, and its condition of preservation, it stands as an authentic masterpiece of primitive art, rare and highly desirable for any discerning collector.
Introduction to our expertise firm
Based in Belgium, our appraisal and sales house specializes in African and ethnographic art. A leading seller on Catawiki for over 8 years, we enjoy a solid reputation and a track record of several hundred sales with a customer satisfaction rate close to 100%.
We regularly assist with liquidations, estates, and dispersals of collections, in collaboration with individuals and families in Belgium and neighboring countries. Our approach is designed to be rigorous, transparent and accessible, with sales often offered without a reserve price.
Some pieces that have passed through our hands have joined international private collections and, for some, museum institutions.
Shipping insured within 24 hours, with careful packaging, insurance, and tracking.
Contact 7 days a week: we remain available for any questions or requests for additional information.
Ngon Mask – Bambara – Mali
Formidable Ngon mask of high quality, belonging to the most demanding corpus of Bambara sculpture. The piece immediately impresses with its sculptural presence, its formal balance, and the evident mastery of the sculptor. The elongated face, powerfully structured around a straight and salient nose, asserts a strong frontal stance and a remarkable visual authority. The almond-shaped eyes, deeply hollowed, confer the mask an almost introspective intensity, reinforcing its ritual and symbolic dimension.
The forehead is outlined by a finely incised band, while the discreet ears and the crested top provide a very accomplished architectural reading. The mouth, treated with sobriety, participates in this restrained, serious, almost meditative expression, characteristic of the great Ngon masks used in Bambara initiation and social contexts. The whole reveals a confident sculpture, without hesitation, where every volume is thought out, mastered, and balanced.
The patina is deep, ancient, with tones ranging from dark brown to black, and with subtly satinized areas from use, bearing witness to a real ritual life. This mask is not a decorative object but a true ceremonial tool, bearing meaning, power, and transmission. By its quality of execution, its formal strength, and its condition of preservation, it stands as an authentic masterpiece of primitive art, rare and highly desirable for any discerning collector.
Introduction to our expertise firm
Based in Belgium, our appraisal and sales house specializes in African and ethnographic art. A leading seller on Catawiki for over 8 years, we enjoy a solid reputation and a track record of several hundred sales with a customer satisfaction rate close to 100%.
We regularly assist with liquidations, estates, and dispersals of collections, in collaboration with individuals and families in Belgium and neighboring countries. Our approach is designed to be rigorous, transparent and accessible, with sales often offered without a reserve price.
Some pieces that have passed through our hands have joined international private collections and, for some, museum institutions.
Shipping insured within 24 hours, with careful packaging, insurance, and tracking.
Contact 7 days a week: we remain available for any questions or requests for additional information.
Details
Indigenous object name
Mask
Ethnic group/ culture
Bambara Ngon
Country of Origin
Mali
Period
Mid 20th century
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Excellent condition
Height
33 cm
Width
1 cm
Depth
1 cm
Weight
1 g
Provenance
Private collection
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