Jean-Jacques Rotthier Collection (1932–2009), Brussels, then by descent

Public auction:

Christie's, New York, Important Tribal Art, May 5, 1995, lot no 117

This highly stylized mask embodies an important artistic and historical transition in Fang art. During the nineteenth century, colonial authorities prohibited the judicial practices associated with the Ngil society, whose masks were characterized by their austere and refined forms. In response, a new masking tradition emerged, known as Ekekek. These later masks adopted more pronounced and expressive features, including prominent eyebrows that have occasionally been interpreted as reflecting contemporary European fashions.

Positioned stylistically between these two traditions, the present mask combines the restrained elegance of Ngil sculpture with the more robust and expressive forms associated with the Ekekek period. Coated with white kaolin, a material closely associated with ancestral spirits and notions of justice, it stands as a compelling testament to the adaptability and continuity of Fang artistic traditions.