Old helmet mask "hemba", around 1900 · R. D. Congo, Suku · ID: 3039701
Musée de l’ Abbaye Notre Dame de Langonnet (Morbihan), since 1920
Künzi, Oensingen, Switzerland
Swiss Private Collection
Description
wood, dark/reddish brown patina, helmet-shaped, surmounted by a quadruped (monkey), hairline and nosebridge stud with decorating tags, abundant grass fibre cuff at the lower rim, incised tattoos in pairs underneath the eyes, slightly dam., rep. (breakages at the calotte, left foreleg of quadruped), patina chipped off in parts, traces of insect caused damage, base;
the “hemba” mask is first danced within the initiation camp at the occasion when other important charms are shown in the traditional initiation of the Suku. A notable of the village had previously treated the mask with a concoction of powerful ingredients and the blood of a rooster had been sprinkled over it. This activated the mask-charm and no one could casually touch it without harm. With careful instruction, the older initiates are taught to dance and then permitted to wear a pair of “hemba” masks into the village at the closing festivities. For this dance, additional charms are placed inside the mask or attached to its shaggy fringe that would “shoot” any witch who might attempt to harm the dancer.
L’objet Old helmet mask “hemba”, around 1900 avec l’ID d’objet 3039701 a fait partie de la vente aux enchères 81st Tribal Art Auction dans 31 octobre 2015. L’objet portant le numéro de lot 499 a atteint un prix de vente de 10 000 € pour un prix d’adjudication de 6 000 €.
Vous trouverez d’autres Masques et autres types d’objets populaires sur nos pages thématiques associées. Notre page sur le thème Art africain pourrait également vous intéresser.
Littérature comparée
Herreman, Frank & Constantijn Petridis (ed.), Face of the Spirits, Tervuren 1993, p. 50, ill. 2
Publications
Schaedler, Karl-Ferdinand, Afrika Maske und Skulptur, Olten 1989, ill. 92
Exposition
Olten, Historisches Museum: "Afrika Maske und Skulptur", 1989