Two-faced - kwele - Bakwélé - Gabon (No reserve price)

The double-faced design is not merely decorative. It possesses a spiritual depth:

Omniscience: Both faces allow viewing in two directions at once (the past and the future, or the visible world and the spirit world).
Protection: These masks were used by the Beete society. They served to identify and repel malevolent forces or sorcerers who threatened the village’s cohesion.
Harmony: They often symbolize the balance between opposing forces.

2. Aesthetic Characteristics
The Kwele style is recognizable a mile away by its minimalism:
Heart shape: The faces are usually inscribed within a concave heart shape (or a “V”).
Contrasting colors: Traditionally, white kaolin is used for the face (a color linked to light and spirits) and dark pigments for the outlines.
Stylized features: The eyes are often simple slits in the shape of a coffee bean, and the nose is reduced to a fine vertical line.

3. Ritual Use
Unlike many other African masks, Kwele masks were not always worn on the face.
They were often displayed on the walls of initiation houses or carried by hand during ritual dances.
They intervened during social crises or death to purify the community and strengthen the bonds between families.

Why is it so prized today?
Collectors and artists (such as Picasso or Modigliani in the early 20th century) were greatly influenced by the radical geometry and the purity of the lines of Kwele masks. It is an object that fits perfectly into contemporary interiors thanks to its almost abstract aspect.

Dimension: 21/36 cm
Weight: 1000 grams