Helmet mask "giphogo" · D. R. Congo, Pende · ID: 3032277
sold
EUR 1,200
Provenance
Harvey T. Menist, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsPierre Dartevelle, Brussels, Belgium (1977)
Hans Hess, Basel, Switzerland (1978)
Eduard Hess, Basel, Switzerland
Size
H: 27,5 cm
H: 10.8 inch
Description
wood, polychrome paint, slit eyes and a trunk-like nose, beard with zigzag ornaments, coiffure with knob-like projection, min. dam., minor missing parts, fissures, slight traces of abrasion;
the mask “giphogo” forms part of the chief’s treasure, and is kept in his residence together with other sacred objects. The masked figure represents the political leader and symbolizes ancestral power.
Comparing literature
Herreman, Frank, Petridis, Constantijn (ed.), Face of the Spirits, Tervuren 1993, p. 73