Africa | Gabon
Fang mask
Gabon
Early 20th century
Carved wood and pigments
Height: 11 ½ – 29 cm
Provenance
Ex collection Dr. Arend Oetker, Germany
Ex collection Adrian Schlag
Fang Mask 29 cm / Galerie Flak
Price on request
As William Rubin pointed out, this rare type of Fang mask stands as a true icon of both classical African art and primitivism. The most famous mask within this limited corpus was previously owned by artist Maurice de Vlaminck who sold it to André Derain in 1904, at a pivotal moment for the development of European Modern art.
Another example, possibly by the same hand, is in the collections of the Sainsbury Centre (inventory number 243) in the United Kingdom.
Another example, possibly by the same hand, is in the collections of the Sainsbury Centre (inventory number 243) in the United Kingdom.
Reference
Helena Rubinstein aboard an ocean liner with a Guro mask
and a Fang mask similar to the one presented here.
Photograph taken from the boat departing from the port of Le Havre to New York on February 15, 1934.
© Archives Helena Rubinstein/L’Oréal
Explore the entire collection
