Mask "mfondo" · D. R. Congo, Lwalwa · ID: 3040080
Frank van Craen, Brussels, Belgium
Description
wood, matt patina, polychrome paint, concave vaulted facial plane, rectangular pierced eyes with whitened rim, bulky triangular nose, tubular protruding mouth, min. dam., cracks, small missing parts, slight traces of abrasion, base;
the small hole underneath the nose was used for attachment of a string, which the dancer held with his teeth in order to fix the mask 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 3040080 was last part of the auction 82nd Tribal Art Auction at February 27, 2016 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 488 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,800.
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Comparing literature
Hahner-Herzog, Iris, Das Zweite Gesicht, Genf, München, New York 1997, ill. 85
Publications
AHDRC: 0033384