Male mask "cihongo" · D. R. Congo, Chokwe · ID: 3035857
not available anymore
Provenance
Old Portuguese CollectionAlfred Kren, Munich, Germany
Size
H: 18,5 cm
H: 7.3 inch
Description
wood, shiny brown patina, black paint, kaolin, typical for the male type is the broad, teeth revealing mouth, as well as the disc-shaped protruding beard, rep. (breakage at the chin), fine cracks, small missing parts, base;
the male spirit “cihongo” symbolizes strength and abundance; in former times the masks were exclusively worn by the chief or one of his sons and were responsible for criminal justice and social control.
Comparing literature
Wastiau, Boris, Visions of Africa, Chokwe, Milan 2006, ill. 55