Mask "mfondo" ·  D. R. Congo, Lwalwa · ID: 3036494

Description

wood, dark brown patina, kaolin, of hollowed oval form with rectangular eyes, pierced around the rim, fine cracks, slight traces of abrasion, base;
the small hole underneath the nose was used for attachment of a string, serving to hold the mask with the teeth and fix it in front of the face. These masks were used for initiation of the young boys of the “ngongo” society as well as for fertility- and hunting rites.

The object Mask “mfondo” with the object ID 3036494 was last part of the auction 76th tribal art auction at March 22, 2014 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 569 achieved a sales price of EUR 2,200.

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Comparing literature

Hahner-Herzog, Iris, Das Zweite Gesicht, Genf, München, New York 1997, ill. 85