Ngil mask

Fang people, Gabon

17 inches, painted wood

Ngil masks were used by the judiciary association of the Fang in order to command awe and respect from the tribe. It is one of the most easily recognized of all African masks, and it is certainly one of the most attractive to Western eyes. When this particular style of mask was brought to France in the late 19th century, it had a huge influence on our modern art.

Arguably the most handsome mask on our website, it comes from an ethnographic collection assembled by the late F.P. Macleod-Selkirk and his father. The collection was begun in 1900 and many of the pieces are first rate. Of course, this provenance does not mean the mask is authentic or old. If it had been danced by the Fang back in the 1800’s, you would be seeing it on the cover of a Christies catalog, not MasksoftheWorld.com!

SOLD