Deformation mask "mbangu" · D. R. Congo, Pende · ID: 3043835
not available anymore
Provenance
Dirk Vonck, Brussels, BelgiumWolf-Bernard Müller, Krefeld, Germany
Size
H: 28 cm
H: 11.0 inch
Description
wood, pigment, raffia bast,
This mask represents a highly regarded hunter who has been stricken with facial paralysis. The black and white painting refers to the scars of someone who fell into fire due to epilepsy or some other medical condition.
“Mbangu” demonstrates how even the most esteemed and upright member of the community can unexpectedly be afflicted with sickness. In this case, the Pende believe that the individual is a victim of sorcery, bewitched by a rival who jealously inflicted him with disease.
Comparing literature
Herreman, Frank, To cure and protect, New York 1999, p. 20 f.