Large mask
John Giltsoff, Girona, Spain
Description
wood, spread with a thick layer of kaolin, small traces of black paint, heart-shaped facial plane, the contour additionally accentuated by dots running around the rim, grooved nose bridge, pierced eyes and mouth with raised rim, nose with drilled hole (for attachment of ornament), head and chin area with grooves, large flat ears, drilled holes around the rim, plant fibre beard, slightly dam. (left ear), missing parts backside at the rim, abrasion of paint, metal base;
Zimba sculpture is derived from two very different sources: one is the Luba world of the savanna, with its prestige or power emblems and objects relating to the “budye” society, and the other is the Lega world of the forest, with its intricate “bwami” association rites. According to M. L. Felix the rare masks come in two types: one is worn, the other is a presentation mask. They were used in the local variant of “bwami” at initiation ceremonies, or gatherings of high-ranking members of this society. The Lega influence is clearly visible.