Helmet mask "giphogo" · D. R. Congo, Pende · ID: 3033922
not available anymore
Provenance
Wilfried Wellenstein, LuxembourgSize
H: 24,5 cm
H: 9.6 inch
Description
wood, polychrome paint, slit eyes and a trunk-like nose, beard with zigzag ornaments, coiffure with knob-like projection, min. dam., cracks, 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