Sale 214 Lot 477

GABONESE - CAMERONIAN KWELE EKUK MASK This Kwélé mask from the Gabon-Cameroon border is a classic example of the ekuk (forest spirit) type, celebrated for its elegant, minimalist aesthetic and heart-shaped facial plane. Carved from wood, the mask features a face coated in pale kaolin clay, which represents the spiritual realm and light, contrasted against the dark, sweeping horns of an antelope or forest buffalo that frame the head. The eyes are typically rendered as narrow, horizontal slits, and the overall flat, thin construction of the mask emphasizes its symbolic role over a realistic human likeness. Traditionally, these masks were not worn over the face but were displayed during the Beete ritual to invoke the protective spirits of the forest, bringing harmony and vitality back to the community in times of crisis or social tension. height 16.5 inches; width 9.5 inches
$120-160