*A very rare and ancient mask of the Bwami society... Lot 139

*A very rare and ancient mask of the Bwami society sculpted in a calabash, with eyes, nose and mouth made of inlays giving it a presence that is both naïve but also very much alive, and having kept its ancient feather corolla attached by a braid of vegetable fibers. Other large idimu masks from the Bwami society are known to have been entirely encircled with feathers, such as this one, which comes from the former Jeanne Walschot and Denise Schwob collections, or another rare mask made of elephant hide from the former Jeff Vanderstraete collection. For the elephant leather mask decorated with feathers of the same type, see : D. Biebuyck, Léga. Ethique et beauté au cœur de l'Afrique, KBC / Snoeck-Ducaju, 2002, p. 115 n° 60. Léga, Democratic Republic of Congo Calabash, beads, bone, vegetable fibers, feathers H. 17 cm without feathers Provenance: Nadine Vinot-Postry Collection, Cuernavaca. *This lot is sold in temporary importation.