Tribal Art

With arcades cut at an angle, overhanging a face with a neutral physiognomy, this type ofAfrican mask intended to unmask sorcerers was carved on the eve of ceremonies. Accompanied by words, gestures, dances and sacrifices, it also intervened during initiations out of sight of the profane. Matte crusty patina. Abrasions, desication cracks, lacks.
Height on base: 54 cm.
Among the Fang, established in a region extending from Yaoundé in Cameroon to Ogooué in Gabon, the appearance of these masks generally coated with kaolin (the white color evokes the power of the ancestors), in the middle of the night, could cause dread. This type of mask was used by the ngil religious and judicial male society which no longer exists today. This secret society was in charge of initiations and fought against witchcraft. The ngil was a rite of purifying fire symbolized by the gorilla. Guarantor of peace, he also fixed the seasons, the location where the villages were to be established, and the conditions of exploitation of the agricultural land.