Mask "kifwebe" · D. R. Congo, Songye · ID: 3033260
René David, Zurich, Switzerland
Harald & Ursula Suhr, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada / Germany (1982)
Description
wood, black, white and red paint, of elongated narrow form, eyes and mouth widely projecting to the front, extensive disc-shaped forehead crest, covered with fine linear grooves, pierced around the rim, min. dam., fissures, slight traces of abrasion;
representing the male “kifwebe” type “kilume”. The “kifwebe” masks embody a spirit being and belong to an association which bears the same name “bwadi ka bifwebe”. The mask is supplemented by a plaited costume and a long beard of raffia fiber. It used to appear at various ceremonies, with the function of a security force or for warding off enemies in cases of war.
The object Mask “kifwebe” with the object ID 3033260 was last part of the auction 70th tribal art auction at September 8, 2012 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 178 achieved a sales price of EUR 2,500.
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Comparing literature
Hahner-Herzog, Iris, Das Zweite Gesicht, Genf, München, New York 1997, ill. 88