A Fang mask of the ‘Asu-nkukh’ type, carved in light-coloured, lightweight wood. The mask head is surrounded by a flat border (1.5 to 5 cm wide) carved out from the same piece of wood. The unusually protruding mask head displays an almost perfectly circular, ‘moon shaped’ white coloured face and a concave area under the eyebrows. With small slit eyes, a markedly straight nose with a narrow bridge and a small, ‘smiling’ mouth. The mouth and eyebrows, which are grooved on the forehead, as well as the typical tribal decorative tattoos on both cheeks (consisting of triangles, double lines and semicircles) display remains of light blue colouring. The remaining surfaces and the edge of the mask are coloured black and brown on the front side. The reverse of the present Fang mask has a rectangular cavity for the face of the mask dancer.
Overall, this Fang mask displays impressive, old shiny patina as a result of protracted use, remains of black tree resin for fastening the costume to the mask border on the back, and minor age-related damage: colour scuffed on the edges, two old original repairs (tears mended by means of plant fibres), a fastening hole ‘torn’. A very rare, ‘museum-quality’ piece!
First third of the 20th century; H: 28 cm (in total), W: 19.5 cm.

Provenance: According to the consigner and current owner, he purchased the present mask himself in 1973 during a trip to a mountain village of the Fang, in the border region between Cameroon and Gabon. At the moment of purchase he was told by his informants that the mask depicts a ‘white missionary’. Currently: Austrian Private Collection. (ME)

Lit.: 'Encyclopedia of African Art and Culture' by K.-F. Schädler, fig. p. 231; 'African Art in American Collections' by Robbins & Nooter, fig. 576.