Dayak Shaman Mask

A rare and large hand carved horned Songye Nkisi power figure. A ‘Nkisi’ is a protective power figure of the Songye, southeastern Congo. Such sculptures are used as a major role in t...

A fascinating large hand carved Shetani figure from the Makonde people of Tanzania. Named 'Daudi' which roughly translates to 'beloved'. The Shetani carved figures represent good spi...

A large oil painting on ply board by French artist Roland Gautier. A surreal figurative observation of two forms with floating heads. A bold piece of qui...

Scandinavian folk art boat of 2 rigged masts - completely scratch built from pine and teak wood. Original paint finish. Handmade and dating from the earl...

This hand-carved wooden mask is from Central Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. It features bulging eyes and a mouth emphasised by a full set of teeth and small nose. These masks we...

Very important “Nwantamtay” dance African mask, consisting of three sections: The upper in plain rectangular shape surmounted by a crescent shape moon, the middle with beautiful geometric triangles in black bitumen and white kaolin, surrounding a red cruciform in the centre of remarkable contrasting colors, and the lower part or face inscribed in a circular space that inspired numbered great artists like Joan Miro, Picasso and Henry Moore of a very strongly solar symbolism, with a projecting protuberance emanating from the forehead like a sculpted bird beak, that descents toward the mouth. Concentric eyes harmonize with the circular mouth, both with of elegant proportions. The whole mask exudes a supreme harmony and perfect balance rarely seen in this pieces. The back-side presents nice ware that attested the ancient origin and traces of animistic ceremonies as the use of animal blood residues. The painting of brown bitumen or cola, the natural colorants in red and ocher tones and the white kaolin are original and do not show any repainted or restored areas, giving a freshness rarely seen in old pieces. This exceptional mask Bwa, of the Hound`e Region in Burkina-Fasso, was used it the transit ceremonies and funerals manifesting the presence of “Do”, name given to their God sons, protectors and powerful spirits. The round face also represents an owl, the curving beak of the bird plants a seed into the sun, like a female sexual vulva being fecundated by the male organ; the eternal symbol of Ying and Yang, masculine and feminine, and the quest of life and death. This mask of Primitive facture can be compared to the one in the celebrated Verite Collection (this one being larger) sold in Paris at the Hotel Drouot, Saturday June 17, Lot 59, for 80,000 Euros and remarkably stands out from the Pierre and Tannia Matisse sold in Sotheby’s, New York in May 13, 2011. Another similar piece was published in: “Arman et l’art africain...

Ceremonial mask from the Sepik River region of Papua New Guinea, associated with the dance traditions of the Eastern Highlands. Crafted from wood, cowrie shells, clay, pigment, and p...

This ceremonial African mask is linked to the Salampasu people of the Bantu ethnic group located primarily in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Salampasu masks...