Female mask "La belle Madeleine" · D. R. Congo, Songe/Zela · ID: 3035853
Antonio Fiacco, Fehraltorf/Zurich, Switzerland
Description
light wood, whitened with kaolin, black accents, large face, ornamentally arranged coiffure and facial features (hair in herringbone pattern), semi-circular tattoos on the cheeks, curved ear conches with drilled holes for ornament, drilled holes around the rim, slightly dam. (nose), traces of insect caused damage (backside, chin projection), abrasion of paint, base;
with many ethnic groups female masks are said to dance in conjunction with animal masks. This is true among the neighbouring Tabwa/Rungu, among the Chokwe and Lunda, as well as among the Luba/Hemba where we find the combination of ideal female mask and buffalo mask.
The object Female mask “La belle Madeleine” with the object ID 3035853 was last part of the auction 75th tribal art auction at November 30, 2013 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 193.
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Comparing literature
Felix, Marc L., Beauty and the beasts, Brussels 2003, p. 98 f.