Mask - Fang - Gabon
06
days
08
hours
40
minutes
35
seconds
Current bid
€ 1
Reserve price not met
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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 € 200 - € 250
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Ngil mask of the Fang from Gabon, carved in light wood and covered with kaolin, 23 cm high, 1 cm wide and 1 cm deep, weight 1 g, provenance Private collection, condition Excellent, not sold with a stand.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
The Ngil mask of the Fang, a Central African people present notably in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, is one of the most striking ritual objects from this region. Lying with a narrow face and covered in white kaolin, it is characterized by a high forehead, a long, thin nose, small slit-like eyes, and a severe expression. This symbolic whiteness evokes the world of the ancestors and the spiritual dimension, white being associated with truth, light, and the beyond.
The Ngil was linked to a masculine initiatory society of the same name, tasked with enforcing moral and social order. Members of this confraternity intervened during nocturnal rituals intended to identify supposed sorcerers or to restore balance within the community. The mask, worn with a costume of plant fibers fully covering the body, embodied a feared authority. Its imposing presence and spectral appearance reinforced the sacred and deterrent dimension of the ritual.
Sculpted in light wood and then covered with kaolin, the Ngil mask combines formal sobriety with symbolic power. Its clean lines and expressive abstraction strongly influenced Western modern art in the early 20th century. However, beyond its aesthetic impact, the Ngil remains above all a object laden with meaning, bearing witness to a complex belief system where justice, spirituality, and social cohesion were intimately linked.
Presentation of our house of expertise
Based in Belgium, our expertise and sales house specializes in African and ethnographic art. A leading seller on Catawiki for more than 8 years, we enjoy a solid reputation and a track record of several hundred sales with an almost 100% satisfaction rate.
We regularly assist with liquidations, successions, and dispersals of collections, in collaboration with individuals and families in Belgium and neighboring countries. Our approach is rigorous, transparent, and accessible, with many sales offered without reserve prices.
Some pieces that have passed through our hands have joined international private collections and, for some, museal institutions.
Shipping guaranteed within 24 hours, with careful packaging, insurance, and tracking.
Contact 7 days a week: we remain available for any question or request for additional information.
The Ngil mask of the Fang, a Central African people present notably in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, is one of the most striking ritual objects from this region. Lying with a narrow face and covered in white kaolin, it is characterized by a high forehead, a long, thin nose, small slit-like eyes, and a severe expression. This symbolic whiteness evokes the world of the ancestors and the spiritual dimension, white being associated with truth, light, and the beyond.
The Ngil was linked to a masculine initiatory society of the same name, tasked with enforcing moral and social order. Members of this confraternity intervened during nocturnal rituals intended to identify supposed sorcerers or to restore balance within the community. The mask, worn with a costume of plant fibers fully covering the body, embodied a feared authority. Its imposing presence and spectral appearance reinforced the sacred and deterrent dimension of the ritual.
Sculpted in light wood and then covered with kaolin, the Ngil mask combines formal sobriety with symbolic power. Its clean lines and expressive abstraction strongly influenced Western modern art in the early 20th century. However, beyond its aesthetic impact, the Ngil remains above all a object laden with meaning, bearing witness to a complex belief system where justice, spirituality, and social cohesion were intimately linked.
Presentation of our house of expertise
Based in Belgium, our expertise and sales house specializes in African and ethnographic art. A leading seller on Catawiki for more than 8 years, we enjoy a solid reputation and a track record of several hundred sales with an almost 100% satisfaction rate.
We regularly assist with liquidations, successions, and dispersals of collections, in collaboration with individuals and families in Belgium and neighboring countries. Our approach is rigorous, transparent, and accessible, with many sales offered without reserve prices.
Some pieces that have passed through our hands have joined international private collections and, for some, museal institutions.
Shipping guaranteed within 24 hours, with careful packaging, insurance, and tracking.
Contact 7 days a week: we remain available for any question or request for additional information.
Details
Indigenous object name
Mask
Ethnic group/ culture
Fang
Country of Origin
Gabon
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Excellent condition
Height
23 cm
Width
1 cm
Depth
1 cm
Weight
1 g
Provenance
Private collection
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