Kifwebe Songye Mask DRC Wood, pigments H.:... Lot 156

Kifwebe Songye Mask DRC Wood, pigments H.: 62 cm. Missing in the lower part Large male mask with facial elements animated by an exceptional dynamic of volumes and lines: imposing sagittal crest joining the bridge of the nose which overhangs a large square hollow mouth. The protruding eyes are underlined by a series of white concentric circles. The lower end of the object shows numerous cracks and important desiccation marks. This type of mask appears, in pairs or doubles, at popular festivals. The wearer of the mask is hidden by a long skirt of braided net fibres and wears a headdress topped by a feather that ends in a tuft of feathers. He adopts an aggressive and unpredictable attitude designed to encourage social conformity. Object made specifically for colonial trade with an obvious decorative interest. Consultant : Jean-Pierre LACOSTE