Tsengi Mask, Gabon

The Tsengi mask originates from the Fang and related peoples of Gabon, Central Africa, and is associated with the Bwiti spiritual tradition and ancestral veneration ceremonies. These helmet masks, characterized by their elongated white-painted faces and refined sculptural forms, were used in initiation rites and funerary contexts to mediate between the living and the dead. Tsengi masks have been highly sought after in the international art market, with significant examples appearing at major auction houses including Sotheby's, Christie's, and Bonhams.