# 1220 Vintage African Fang Elongated Face Wooden Bird Mask Gabon 16" H

Superb vintage Fang Bird mask carved from a single piece of heavy wood, featuring an elongated heart-shaped face rendered in striking white and brown  pigmentation. Among the Fang people, such masks are associated with the Ngil society and were worn by spiritual leaders during rituals to ward off evil spirits and symbolize wealth and prosperity. This exceptional example measures approximately 16" H × 7" W × 6" D, showcasing the masterful craftsmanship characteristic of Gabon's Fang tribe. African masks of this caliber profoundly influenced modernist artists, including Pablo Picasso, whose Cubist innovations drew inspiration from the geometric abstraction and spiritual power embodied in tribal art forms like this one.