Helmet mask "giphogo" · D. R. Congo, Pende · ID: 3032277
Pierre Dartevelle, Brussels, Belgium (1977)
Hans Hess, Basel, Switzerland (1978)
Eduard Hess, Basel, Switzerland
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.
The object Helmet mask “giphogo” with the object ID 3032277 was last part of the auction 68th tribal art auction at March 3, 2012 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 235 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,200.
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Comparing literature
Herreman, Frank, Petridis, Constantijn (ed.), Face of the Spirits, Tervuren 1993, p. 73