Mask board of the "kifwebe" society
D. R. Congo, Songye
sold
EUR 1,800
Provenance
Marc Leo Felix, Brussels, BelgiumZemanek-Münster, Würzburg, 18 October 2014, lot 492
Size
H: 47 cm
H: 18.5 inch
Description
wood, brown patina, kaolin, red pigment (backside), lancet-shaped, carved with a small mask face in the style of a characteristic “kifwebe” mask and grooved decor, collection number “FX92299” handwritten in white paint on the backside, drilled hole for suspension, slightly dam., insect caused damage (backside, tip), metal base;
the masking society “bwadi ka bifwebe” possesses various objects adorned with masks (e. g. weaving shuttles, knives, sandals) and shields like the present one, which were hung to a wall or fence, as emblem of the “bifwebe” society.