Anthropomorphic mask "mbuya" · D. R. Congo, Pende · ID: 3050033
Description
wood, pigments, raffia, plant fibres, missing parts (insect caused damage)
The Pende use dance masks “mbuya”, which appear during non-ritual festivities to entertain the village community.
The mask figures represent different characters and role models of Pende society. There are embodiments of chiefs (“fumu”), wise old men with long beards (“giwoyo” or “muyombo”), executioners (“pumbu”), fortune tellers (“nganga ngombo”) and bewitched persons “mbangu”, up to representations of clowns “tundu” and prostitutes “ngobo”.
The object Anthropomorphic mask “mbuya” with the object ID 3050033 was part of the auction 101st Auction on November 11, 2023, lot number 325 at that time and is currently available for EUR 1,200 in Open sale.
You can find more Masks and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on African art.