1 / 6
Description
KWÈLÉ
Elephant mask
20th century.
Height: 57 cm.
Light wood, coated with white kaolin on the sides of the trunk and the centre of the face, red coating on the lower sides of the face, and black coating on the front of the trunk and around the centre of the face. The eyes are made of coffee beans. There is no trace of a mouth on this mask.
Provenance:
Pierre Redouin Collection.
Bibliography:
Published in *Le Souffle des Esprits*, Les Éditions de l’Amateur, Pierre & Hadrien Redouin, 2012, p. 218.
Description:
The Kwélè mask with an elephant’s trunk is a specific variant of the ekuk mask. It features a white, heart-shaped concave face, in front of which a long, curved trunk descends from the forehead to fall well below the chin. The mask as a whole, with its imposing presence, conveys a sense of power. By combining the features of the elephant with those of a human, the mask transfers the elephant’s power to the wearer. But the elephant is not merely an animal; it is also a social and spiritual metaphor. It represents longevity, memory and invulnerability. Just as the elephant has the ability to forge a path through the densest forest, so the wearer of the mask will be able to resolve the most complicated problems within the clan. In this context, the elephant’s trunk is seen as a spiritual arm capable of flushing out even the most skilfully hidden sorcerers. These masks were owned by the heads of particularly powerful lineages because, in the collective imagination, the elephant was the only animal capable of standing up to the leopard.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale
The Breath of the Spirits: The Collection of Pierre Redouin and Others
Auction location
Auction time
09/24/2026 at 2:30 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
You may also like