Mask of the Ngil - Fang - Gabon
01
day
09
hours
45
minutes
53
seconds
Current bid
€ 2
Reserve price not met
Expert
Selected by Dimitri André
Holds a postgraduate degree in African studies and 15 years experience in African art.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
 | €2 | |
|---|---|---|
 | €1 |
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Wooden Ngil mask from the Fang people, Gabon, originating in Central Africa, with an original/officiel authenticity and in good condition, dimensions 590 × 195 × 130 mm and weight 1.05 kg.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Gabon / Cameroon
Fang
Wood
Height: 590mm
Width: 195mm
Depth: 130mm
This wooden mask with an elegantly stretched shape comes from the Fang people, a major Central African ethnic group established mainly in Gabon, south of Cameroon, and in Equatorial Guinea.
It embodies the streamlined, spiritual, and highly graphic aesthetics of the great sculptural styles of the equatorial forest.
Stylistic and Aesthetic Characteristics
The piece features remarkable artistic canons and a pursuit of minimalist balance:
• The heart-shaped face and straight nose: The brow ridges form a fluid, continuous curve that converges to draw an exceptionally long, thin, straight nose, structuring the entire vertical dynamics of the face.
• Kaolin patina: The front is entirely coated with a white kaolin-based preparation. Among the Fang and neighboring peoples, the white color represents spiritual light, truth, justice, and the benevolent presence of spirits or ancestors.
• Eyes adorned with grooves: The eyes, reduced to fine horizontal slits, are highlighted by hollow carved motifs in the shape of tears (or ovals) adorned with parallel fine vertical lines, giving the mask a gaze full of deep interiority.
• The minimalist mouth: True to the style, the mouth is extremely reduced, placed at the very lower edge of the pointed chin and marked with small vertical incisions.
• The reverse for use: The inner face is deeply hollowed with a mortiser, revealing the raw wood texture and a series of small regular perforations along the edge, which were used to fix the headdress and the heavy raffia fiber costume.
Ritual Use and Function
This type of mask was not ornamental or merely entertaining, but held a major social and religious role:
• The power of justice (Ngil Society or related rites): These white masks were the attributes of masculine regulating societies tasked with maintaining order, dispensing justice, and fighting sorcery. The mask bearer appeared to identify and punish troublemakers, thieves, or poisoners.
• The embodiment of an invisible force: Entirely hidden under its costume, the dancer lost his human identity to become the voice of ancestors and the forces of the beyond. The fixed, almost timeless expression of the face symbolizes impartial, serene justice, detached from the passions of the living.
• Purification of the village: Its appearance allowed the community to be purified, to drive away bad influences, and to restore social and spiritual harmony between the world of the living and that of the spirits.
Packages are shipped from Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France via Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery to the rest of Europe and worldwide via 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 / Cameroon
Fang
Wood
Height: 590mm
Width: 195mm
Depth: 130mm
This wooden mask with an elegantly stretched shape comes from the Fang people, a major Central African ethnic group established mainly in Gabon, south of Cameroon, and in Equatorial Guinea.
It embodies the streamlined, spiritual, and highly graphic aesthetics of the great sculptural styles of the equatorial forest.
Stylistic and Aesthetic Characteristics
The piece features remarkable artistic canons and a pursuit of minimalist balance:
• The heart-shaped face and straight nose: The brow ridges form a fluid, continuous curve that converges to draw an exceptionally long, thin, straight nose, structuring the entire vertical dynamics of the face.
• Kaolin patina: The front is entirely coated with a white kaolin-based preparation. Among the Fang and neighboring peoples, the white color represents spiritual light, truth, justice, and the benevolent presence of spirits or ancestors.
• Eyes adorned with grooves: The eyes, reduced to fine horizontal slits, are highlighted by hollow carved motifs in the shape of tears (or ovals) adorned with parallel fine vertical lines, giving the mask a gaze full of deep interiority.
• The minimalist mouth: True to the style, the mouth is extremely reduced, placed at the very lower edge of the pointed chin and marked with small vertical incisions.
• The reverse for use: The inner face is deeply hollowed with a mortiser, revealing the raw wood texture and a series of small regular perforations along the edge, which were used to fix the headdress and the heavy raffia fiber costume.
Ritual Use and Function
This type of mask was not ornamental or merely entertaining, but held a major social and religious role:
• The power of justice (Ngil Society or related rites): These white masks were the attributes of masculine regulating societies tasked with maintaining order, dispensing justice, and fighting sorcery. The mask bearer appeared to identify and punish troublemakers, thieves, or poisoners.
• The embodiment of an invisible force: Entirely hidden under its costume, the dancer lost his human identity to become the voice of ancestors and the forces of the beyond. The fixed, almost timeless expression of the face symbolizes impartial, serene justice, detached from the passions of the living.
• Purification of the village: Its appearance allowed the community to be purified, to drive away bad influences, and to restore social and spiritual harmony between the world of the living and that of the spirits.
Packages are shipped from Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France via Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery to the rest of Europe and worldwide via 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
Mask of the Ngil
Ethnic group/ culture
Fang
Country of Origin
Gabon
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Good condition
Weight
1.05 kg
Authenticity
Original/official
Sold by
