Mask "nyibita" ·  D. R. Congo, Kuba · ID: 3032730

Description

light brown wood, slightly encrusted black patina, the facial plane dominated by a large nose with accentuated nostrils, pierced around the rim, min. dam., cracks, slight traces of abrasion, on metal base;
presumably belonging to the mask type of “nyibita”. Information concerning this mask is extremely scarce. The “nyibita” mask is associated with a young warlord, and was danced at the court of the Kuba monarch.

The object Mask “nyibita” with the object ID 3032730 was last part of the auction 69th tribal art auction at June 2, 2012 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 395 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,300.

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Comparing literature

Felix, Marc L., 100 Peoples of Zaire and their Sculpture, Brüssel 1987, p. 125, ill. 6