Mask with horns "kifwebe"

Description

wood, blackish brown patina, kaolin, camwood powder, small traces of indigo blue paint, min. dam., traces of old insect caused damage, crack, base.
In the course of time some variations on the typical “kifwebe” masks appeared. Some obvious animal references were added to the classic rectangular box-shape. Some had horns curving downward for a ram, or upward for an antelope, or backward for a goat. Some had large ears flanking the forehead as a jackal. Some of these zoomorphic “bifwebe” were more colorful than the classical white and black Luba “bifwebe”. Sometimes blue, green or yellow were added. This developement continued, box-shape and grooved pattern more and more receded, in favour of a more naturalistic forming of the animal masks. Farther south in eastern Lubaland, towards the Zela homeland, the masks became even more realistic and the grooves were reduced to such an extent, that there was only left a symbolic reference to the classic “bifwebe” masks.
Present mask can be seen within the range of this developement.

Comparing literature

Publications

AHDRC: 0031093