Shield "kalengula" · D. R. Congo, Songye · ID: 3032321
sold
EUR 2,500
Provenance
Émile-Francois Chambon, Geneva, Switzerland (1999)Eduard Hess, Basel, Switzerland
Size
H: 119 cm
H: 46.9 inch
Description
wood, dyed with black, white and red pigment, narrow form with curved sides, coated with horizontal grooves, dyed in changing colours, carved with a small mask in “kifwebe” style in the centre, massive handle on the back, slightly dam., minor missing parts, traces of insect caused damage backside;
the “bwadi bwa kifwebe” society has special huts called “kiobo” where they keep their masks. The walls are draped with shields like the present one, carrying small “kifwebe” masks in the centre, which are looked upon as guardians of the huts.
Comparing literature
Roy, Christopher D., Kilengi, Afrikanische Kunst aus der Sammlung Bareiss, München 1997, ill. 104 Himmelheber, Hans, Negerkunst und Negerkünstler, Würzburg 1960, p. 406