Face mask "nkaki" or "mfondo" ·  D. R. Congo, Lwalwa · ID: 3034828

Description

wood, reddish brown and dark brown patina, kaolin, concave vaulted facial plane, prominent nose bridge, slightly dam. (nose tip, mouth), cracks and minor missing pieces at the rim backside, paint rubbed off, socle;
aside of the female “mushika” or “kashika” mask, which is characterized by a crested hairdo, there can be divided two types of male masks: “nkaki” and “mfondo”. They are quite similar in design and can only be distinguished by the nose profile, which is said to be connected with special types of bird beaks.

The object Face mask “nkaki” or “mfondo” with the object ID 3034828 was last part of the auction 73rd tribal art auction at May 25, 2013 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 385 achieved a sales price of EUR 2,500.

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Comparing literature

Hahner-Herzog, Iris, Das Zweite Gesicht, Genf, München, New York 1997, ill. 85