Generation mask - Kwele / Bakwele - Gabon
07
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21
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17
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45
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€ 1
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Selected by Julien Gauthier
A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
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Masque de génération, a Kwele wooden mask from Gabon with provenance Gabon and Congo RDC, in good condition.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Gabon / DRC Congo
Kwélé / Bakwété
Wood
Height: 325mm
Width: 200mm
Depth: 110mm
African Kwele mask from Gabon in wood -
The three pairs of eyes represent past and future generations..
These masks were most often hung in the huts and rarely taken out during the initiation ceremonies of the bwété cult.
The Kwele live in southern Gabon and northern Republic of the Congo. Each village was made up of about a dozen families, each headed by a chief who competed with the other chiefs to lead the village. The village also included priests and a peacemaker whose role was very important in this climate of continuous competition. The internal cohesion of the village depended on the prestige and authority of its founder and the skill of the peacemaker. To strengthen it, they borrowed from the Ngwyes the cult of the “bwété,” whose celebration was decided at a meeting of the main chiefs. This ritual, lasting for a whole 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. While the hunt took place, 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 “spirit of the forest” and “children of bwété.” This mask represented the antelope with its two large horns. Throughout the preparation of the feast, the masks came to invite to the dance and the village came alive as the hunters returned from the forest with their spoils. - The flat masks, with incised eyes, often white in a heart shape, a triangular nose and eyes in the shape of coffee beans. These Kwélé masks are called “ekuk.” - elephant-headed mask
There are four types of Kwélé masks, three representing animals and one with a human face.
These masks, hung in the houses, were rarely worn during the initiation ceremonies of the bwété cult. It seems that these masks were carved to be exhibited, even if they were often worn by hand during the ceremonies. Their function was to animate a village in order to activate the beneficial forces inhabiting the bwété.
The parcels are shipped Monday through Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery between 1 to 3 days in France with Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery to the rest of Europe and around the world with Colissimo international.
We speak english
Mask of African art African mask art arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
African statue art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane
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 Kwele mask from Gabon in wood -
The three pairs of eyes represent past and future generations..
These masks were most often hung in the huts and rarely taken out during the initiation ceremonies of the bwété cult.
The Kwele live in southern Gabon and northern Republic of the Congo. Each village was made up of about a dozen families, each headed by a chief who competed with the other chiefs to lead the village. The village also included priests and a peacemaker whose role was very important in this climate of continuous competition. The internal cohesion of the village depended on the prestige and authority of its founder and the skill of the peacemaker. To strengthen it, they borrowed from the Ngwyes the cult of the “bwété,” whose celebration was decided at a meeting of the main chiefs. This ritual, lasting for a whole 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. While the hunt took place, 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 “spirit of the forest” and “children of bwété.” This mask represented the antelope with its two large horns. Throughout the preparation of the feast, the masks came to invite to the dance and the village came alive as the hunters returned from the forest with their spoils. - The flat masks, with incised eyes, often white in a heart shape, a triangular nose and eyes in the shape of coffee beans. These Kwélé masks are called “ekuk.” - elephant-headed mask
There are four types of Kwélé masks, three representing animals and one with a human face.
These masks, hung in the houses, were rarely worn during the initiation ceremonies of the bwété cult. It seems that these masks were carved to be exhibited, even if they were often worn by hand during the ceremonies. Their function was to animate a village in order to activate the beneficial forces inhabiting the bwété.
The parcels are shipped Monday through Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery between 1 to 3 days in France with Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery to the rest of Europe and around the world with Colissimo international.
We speak english
Mask of African art African mask art arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
African statue art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane
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
