Kwele Mask

Kwele (Bakwele) Gabon. Wood. Pigments.
Height: 16"

Rare surrealistic Kwele mask, with small filed teeth (in this instance, the smallness of the filed teeth may be denoting a young woman and feminine beauty), scarifications and the unusual tubular element, continuous from one side of the hair line to the other. This tubular element may reflect the female hair do of a bride, since we suspect this may have been a marriage (ceremonial) mask. There are holes from the top of the head, through the ears and towards the jaw line, perhaps for the accompanying ceremonial amulets. Mask has a very worn look and presents a magisterial appearance.