Mask "mfondo" ·  D. R. Congo, Lwalwa · ID: 3037074

Description

light brown wood, blackish brown patina, kaolin, clear structured geometrical facial features: narrow rectangular eye slits, sharp-edged nosebridge, rectangular mouth, board-shaped projection, min. dam., traces of insect caused damage and 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 3037074 was last part of the auction 77th tribal art auction at June 28, 2014 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 473 achieved a sales price of EUR 3,500.

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