Zemanek-Münster

Bodymask of a pregnant woman "ndimu" ·  Tanzania, Makonde · ID: 3035159

sold EUR 6,000
Provenance
Fred Jahn, Munich, Germany
Marc L. Felix, Brussels, Belgium
Size
H: 53 cm
H: 20.9 inch

Description

wood, lusterless dark brown patina, rectangular breast board, carved with a nearly naturalistic depiction of an advanced stadium of pregnancy, slightly dam., minor missing parts (navel area, base of the breast plate), cracks, rep. (the bottom of the belly spread with blackish mass, can be seen on the inside as well), inscription “FE9075” in white paint backside, metal socle;
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 birth.


The object Bodymask of a pregnant woman “ndimu” with the object ID 3035159 was last part of the auction 74th tribal art auction at September 7, 2013 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 448 achieved a sales price of EUR 6,000.

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.


Exhibition

"Bauchmasken der Makonde", Galerie Fred Jahn, Stuttgart, 19. October - 16. November 1991


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