Mask dancer · D. R. Congo, Songye · ID: 3039802
Hans Dietrich Rielau, Hösbach, Germany
Description
wood, kaolin, black and brown pigments, separate worked arms, netted costume, animal skin loincloth, broad leather belt, wearing a “kifwebe” mask in male form “kilume” with high crest, provided with typical facial features and striped decor in black and white, abundant plant fibre cuff around the neck, slightly dam., minor missing parts (crest), abrasion of paint, traces of old age, base;
such masked figures were sometimes used for instructional purposes. It may also have had a protective function for the mask wearer and was kept in his home to hold the spirit of the large mask when it was in use.
The object Mask dancer with the object ID 3039802 was part of the auction 82nd Tribal Art Auction on February 27, 2016. The object with the lot number 227 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,000 with an asking price of EUR 800.
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Publications
Rielau, Hans Dietrich, Afrikanische Miniaturen, Norderstedt 2011, p. 46 f.