Zemanek-Münster

Body mask "ndimu" ·  Tanzania, Makonde · ID: 3032252

sold EUR 1,200
Provenance
Edi Remondino, Bajumbura, Burundi
Toni Dähler, Basel, Switzerland
Eduard Hess, Basel, Switzerland
Size
H: 43 cm
H: 16.9 inch

Description

light wood, reddish brown patina, showing the body of a pregnant woman in a nearly naturalistic way, incised scarification marks, rep., dam., traces of abrasion;
the female body mask was used at initiation rites. It was part of the costume of a “ndimu” mask dancer, called “amwalin-dembo”, depicting a pregnant woman. It was always worn by a male dancer and was supplemented by a face mask. The dance demonstrated the pain of giving birth.


The object Body mask “ndimu” with the object ID 3032252 was last part of the auction 68th tribal art auction at March 3, 2012 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 264 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,200.

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.


Comparing literature

Phillips, Tom (Hg.), Afrika, Die Kunst eines Kontinents, Berlin 1996, p. 175


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