Anthropomorphic face mask
David & Bonnie Ross, Indianapolis, USA (1983)
Description
wood, light greyish brown patina, remains of kaolin, small traces of red pigment, sickle-shaped eyes, the mouth formed in shape of an eight, ornamental eyebrows combined with a double grooved nose bridge, unusual hairdo in a flat shield-shaped form with eight drilled holes on top (probably for insertion of feather ornament), slightly dam., minor missing parts (nose, mouth, ears), cracks (head), strong traces of abrasion/usage backside at the rim, water spots, metal socle;
present mask represents a rare mask type. A comparable object can be found in the Museum Barbier-Mueller in Geneva, originally deriving from the Josef Mueller Collection (acquired before 1939). Louis Perrois attributed the Mueller mask to the Fang. The motiv of the semi-circular eyebrows arranged in double grooves, the design of the nose and especially the grooves running from the nose tip to the hairline are the main evidences to him. All these characteristics can be found with the present mask as well. Travellers of the 19th century prooved the specific hairstyle for the Ntumu (Equatorial Guinea) and the Betsi (northern Gabon), which are two southern subgroups of the Fang. Unfortunately nothing is known about the function of the mask type. With the three most popular mask types of the Fang, the “ngil”, “ekekek” and the multi-faced “ngontang” helmet masks present mask has nothing in common.