Fang ngil mask
wood, kaolin, pigment
Ex M. Forsyth collection, collected in the 80's.
The mask was exhibited in the exhibition: "Native Arts of the World...At Home in Colorado - The Douglas Society Collects"
The Ngil (sometimes referred to as the gorilla mask) masks were worn by members of a male society of the same name during the initiation of
new members and the persecution of wrong-doers. Masqueraders, clad in raffia costumes and attended by helpers, would materialize in the
village after dark, illuminated by flickering torchlight. Fang masks, such as those worn by itinerant troubadours and for hunting and punishing
sorcerers, are painted white with facial features often outlined in black. Typical are large, elongated masks covered with kaolin and featuring a
face that was usually heart-shaped with a long, fine nose. The Ngil society disappeared with the beginning of the colonization of Gabon in the
early 1930's.
Despite it's appearance, I believe this beautifully carved mask was most likely made specifically for the collecting market.
SOLD
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