Generation mask - Kwele / Bakwele - Gabon
Opens 13 May
Starting bid
€ 1
Add to your favourites to get an alert when the auction starts.
Expert
Selected by Julien Gauthier
A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
Catawiki Buyer Protection
Your payment’s safe with us until you receive your object.View details
Trustpilot 4.4 | 132745 reviews
Rated Excellent on Trustpilot.
Description from the seller
Gabon / DRC Congo
Kwélé / Bakwété
Wood
Height: 325mm
Width: 200mm
Depth: 110mm
African mask Kwele from Gabon in wood -
The 3 pairs of eyes represent future and past generations..
These masks were most often hung in the huts and rarely taken out during initiation ceremonies of the Bwété cult.
The Kwele live south of Gabon and north of the Republic of the Congo. Each village consisted of about a dozen families, each led by a chief who was in competition with the other chiefs to lead the village. The village included priests and a pacifier whose role was very important in this climate of permanent competition. The internal cohesion of the village depended on the prestige and authority of its founder and the skill of the pacifier. To reinforce it, they borrowed from the Ngwyes the cult of the “bwété” whose celebration was decided at a meeting of the principal chiefs. This ritual, which lasted an entire week, began with the departure of able-bodied men into the forest to hunt the antelope whose meat, accompanied by medicines, was to be eaten at the closing meal of the ceremony. During the hunt, women and children remained in the village. After one or two days, ekuk masks emerged from the forest, entered the village, and invited people to dance and sing. Ekuk means both “forest spirit” and “children of bwété.” This mask represented the antelope with its two large horns. Throughout the preparation of the festival, the masks came to invite to dance and the village came alive as the hunters returned from the forest with their spoils. - The flat masks, with incised eyes, often white and heart-shaped, a triangular nose and eyes in the shape of coffee beans. These Kwélé masks are called “ekuk.” - mask with elephant head
There are four types of Kwélé masks; three represent animals and one has a human face.
These masks hung in the houses were rarely worn during initiation ceremonies of the Bwété cult. It seems that these masks were carved to be displayed, even though they were often carried by hand during ceremonies. Their function was to animate a village to activate the benevolent forces inhabiting the “bwété.”
Packages are sent from Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France by Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery in the rest of Europe and worldwide by Colissimo international.
We speak english
Mask african art Afrikanische Maskenkunst arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
statue african art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateGabon / DRC Congo
Kwélé / Bakwété
Wood
Height: 325mm
Width: 200mm
Depth: 110mm
African mask Kwele from Gabon in wood -
The 3 pairs of eyes represent future and past generations..
These masks were most often hung in the huts and rarely taken out during initiation ceremonies of the Bwété cult.
The Kwele live south of Gabon and north of the Republic of the Congo. Each village consisted of about a dozen families, each led by a chief who was in competition with the other chiefs to lead the village. The village included priests and a pacifier whose role was very important in this climate of permanent competition. The internal cohesion of the village depended on the prestige and authority of its founder and the skill of the pacifier. To reinforce it, they borrowed from the Ngwyes the cult of the “bwété” whose celebration was decided at a meeting of the principal chiefs. This ritual, which lasted an entire week, began with the departure of able-bodied men into the forest to hunt the antelope whose meat, accompanied by medicines, was to be eaten at the closing meal of the ceremony. During the hunt, women and children remained in the village. After one or two days, ekuk masks emerged from the forest, entered the village, and invited people to dance and sing. Ekuk means both “forest spirit” and “children of bwété.” This mask represented the antelope with its two large horns. Throughout the preparation of the festival, the masks came to invite to dance and the village came alive as the hunters returned from the forest with their spoils. - The flat masks, with incised eyes, often white and heart-shaped, a triangular nose and eyes in the shape of coffee beans. These Kwélé masks are called “ekuk.” - mask with elephant head
There are four types of Kwélé masks; three represent animals and one has a human face.
These masks hung in the houses were rarely worn during initiation ceremonies of the Bwété cult. It seems that these masks were carved to be displayed, even though they were often carried by hand during ceremonies. Their function was to animate a village to activate the benevolent forces inhabiting the “bwété.”
Packages are sent from Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France by Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery in the rest of Europe and worldwide by Colissimo international.
We speak english
Mask african art Afrikanische Maskenkunst arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
statue african art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Indigenous object name
Generation mask
Ethnic group/ culture
Kwele / Bakwele
Country of Origin
Gabon
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Good condition
Sold by
