Rare old mask · D. R. Congo/Gabon, border area, Ndjabi · ID: 3039677
Description
light wood, painted in white and black and red ochre, face with broad forehead and tapering chin, eyes nearly closed with narrow see slits, the mouth open, a small tounge visible between beautifully curved lips, coiffure with crest-like lobe, slightly dam. (nose, mouth), scratches;
present mask is an early work, probably around 1890/1900.
there are only a few masks known which are stylistically related to the present piece. One is published by Perrois, 1979, ill. 282. Another one was hammered at Sotheby’s London in 1986 as lot 66.
The object Rare old mask with the object ID 3039677 was last part of the auction 81st Tribal Art Auction at October 31, 2015 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 416.
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Comparing literature
Perrois, Louis, Arts du Gabon, Paris 1979, ill. 282 Sotheby's, London, 23 June 1986, lot 66