Anthropomorphic face mask · D. R. Congo, Nyindu · ID: 3043387
Wolf-Bernard Müller, Krefeld, Germany
Description
wood, blackish-brown patina, kaolin, red pigment, slightly dam., abrasion of paint.
The small ethnical group of the Nyindu descends from the Lega by whom they adopted structures of the “bwami” society. Anthropomorphic masks, like the present, were displayed by “bwami” members, manipulated, worn attached to the body or sometimes on the face. Even stylistically the influence of the Lega is evident (heart-shaped face/forming of eye zone). The mask depicts a man, possibly the ancestor of a clan.
The object Anthropomorphic face mask with the object ID 3043387 was last part of the auction 88th Tribal Art Auction at March 10, 2018 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 446 achieved a sales price of EUR 2,800.
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Comparing literature
Felix, Marc L., Maniema, München 1989, p. 94 ff.