Zemanek-Münster

Female face mask "mbuya" ·  D. R. Congo, Pende · ID: 3042005

not available anymore
Size
H: 24 cm
H: 9.4 inch

Description

wood, brown patina, red pigment, kaolin, ideal feminine physiognomy with “bedroom eyes”, wig in the beloved “guhata sanga” hairstyle, scarification marks on forehead and temples, slightly dam. (nose, mouth), abrasion of paint, base;
simply called “the female mask” or “gambanda”, resp. “kambanda”. The male dancer wears beautiful and costly clothes, bracelets and anklets - he is dressed like a beautiful young girl liable to become the trophy wife of a high-status male. The female mask dances to the rhythms of comtemporary popular dances and performs little comedies with a mirror and comb to suggest her vanity and preoccupation with appearance.


The object Female face mask “mbuya” with the object ID 3042005 was last part of the auction 85th Tribal Art Auction at March 4, 2017 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 419.

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

Strother, Z.S., Inventing masks, Chicago 1998, p. 217 ff


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