Miniature mask "lukwakongo" · D. R. Congo, Lega · ID: 3033284
Harald & Ursula Suhr, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada / Germany
Description
light-weighted wood, kaolin, typical heart-shaped facial plane with elongated nose ridge, drilled holes in the chin area for attachment of a raphia beard, slightly dam.;
Lega masks are marks of rank within the different levels of initiation in the “bwami” society. There are five different mask types: “lukwakongo”, “kayamba”, “idimu”, “muminia”, and “lukungu”. Young men received the “lukwakongo” masks during the “yananio” rites. These masks were the most important insignia of rank until the owner moved to the higher level of “kindi” and trades his wooden mask for an ivory one, called “lukungu”.
The object Miniature mask “lukwakongo” with the object ID 3033284 was last part of the auction 70th tribal art auction at September 8, 2012 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 166 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,500.
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Comparing literature
Cameron, Elisabeth L., Art of the Lega, Los Angeles 2001, p. 198