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118 - FANG Ngil mask.
See original version (French)

Estimate €800 - €1,200
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Description
FANG Ngil mask. 20th century. Height: 48 cm; Width: 26.5 cm. An IR spectroscopy dating certificate (G. Matthaes patent) from the Museo d’Arte e Scienza, Milan, no. 8AO-8230, indicates the date 1932 ± 8 years. Light wood, coated with kaolin on the central part of the face, with a brown patina elsewhere. This Ngil mask is shaped like a cap. It has two nasal holes for breathing. Traces of carving with an adze are visible on the inside of the mask. The face is shaped like an elongated heart. The eyes are half-open and the lips are clearly defined, giving the impression that the mask is looking at us in a slightly intriguing manner. The face is criss-crossed by pyrographed markings: a horizontal line beneath which there are two concentric semicircles and above which there are eleven vertical lines. The nose is crossed from top to bottom by three vertical lines (the number ‘three’ was considered magical among the Fang) carved into the wood. This mask was worn (the fastening cord passed through the two side holes) and suspended (through a hole running through the top of the headpiece). Provenance: Pierre Redouin Collection. Bibliography: Published in *Le Souffle des Esprits*, Les Éditions de l’Amateur, Pierre & Hadrien Redouin, 2012, p. 67.
See original version (French)
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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
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