Snake mask · D. R. Congo, Bwaka · ID: 3032293
Description
wood, greyish brown patina, traces of ritual blackish mass and kaolin, discoidal, the underside carved with a small ring with drilled holes for attachment, slightly dam., cracks, small traces of insect caused damage, rep.;
by a medicine man worn horizontal on the head, presumably used for the healing of snake bites. Zande masks are rare! They were used in “mani” society as well as in funeral ceremonies. Stylistically they are linked to the masks of the Central African Republic, which suggests that they were imported about 1910, the same time as the “mani”.
The object Snake mask with the object ID 3032293 was part of the auction 68th tribal art auction on March 3, 2012. The object with the lot number 233 achieved a sales price of EUR 900 with an asking price of EUR 450.
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Comparing literature
Felix, Marc L., 100 Peoples of Zaire and their Sculpture, The Handbook, Brüssel 1987, p. 202 f.
Exhibition
Exhibition Oberwil 1990