The Kwele (or Bakwele) live in northeast Gabon, across the border with Kongo and Cameroon.
The present, typical mask of the Kwele is carved from lightweight, light-coloured wood and features a heart-shaped, slightly concave face with conspicuously slanted, almond-shaped slit eyes, a short, small nose and a small mouth on the pointed chin of the mask face. From the top of the head the mask is entirely surrounded and framed by two ‘horns’ (probably antelope horns). The horns are characterised by an octagonal cross-section and a V-shaped notch in the upper section. Both the mask face and the inner surface of the horns were originally coloured in white (by means of kaolin). Remains of kaolin coating are still clearly noticeable. All the remaining surfaces of the mask are dyed black. The reverse of the mask face is shiny and undyed. A very rare mask type, with old shiny patina as a result of protracted use, and with minor age-related damage: colour scuffed, small tears and some pieces broken off.
Between the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century; H: 39 cm (in total); W: 28 cm.

Provenance: According to the consigner and current owner, the present Kwele mask was purchased by his father in Paris from the well-known art dealer Pierre Vérité (1900-1993) in 1964. Currently: Austrian Private Collection. (ME)

Lit.: 'Die Kunst des schwarzen Afrika' by Kerchache, Paudrat, Stephan, fig. 578; 'The Tribal Arts of Africa' by Jean-Baptiste Bacquart, p. 120, fig. 4; similar mask types of the Kwele: 'African Art in American Collections' by Robbins & Nooter, fig. 896, 898, 899; 'Ancestral Art of Gabon' by Louis Perrois, fig. 18; 'Afrika' by Michel Leiris and Jacqueline Delange, cover photograph and fig. 379.