AFRICAN ART AFRICAN REAL AFRICAN FIGURE AFRICAN HAND MASK EN ESPAÑA

Don't forget to provide us with your phone number for the shipping company in order to avoid losing the package Don't forget to provide us with your Among the Lega, in eastern Congo, the Bwami society presides over the tribe’s social and religious life (with six ranks for men and three ranks for women). This Bwami society has two fundamental types of masks (besides many smaller objects made of wood): on the one hand, small masks (‘Lukwakongo’) that are not worn on the face but used as a form of ‘identification’ instead. On the other, three larger types of face mask: 'Idimu', 'Muminia' and 'Kayamba' (with). These larger face masks may be worn only by men belonging to the two highest ranks of the Bwami society ('Yananio' and 'Kindi') during ritual ceremonies such as initiations, funerals etc. The present Lega face mask belongs to the ‘Idimu’ type. It is carved in light-coloured, lightweight wood and displays the typical features of the Lega style: high eyebrow arches over a concave, almost heart-shaped face, coloured in white with kaolin, protruding 'coffee bean eyes' on either side of a long nose (with a vertical line in relief) and a small, open mouth. The forehead of the mask was originally dyed black. Along the chin are holes to which a beard of plant fibres was originally attached. A typical, old piece, with good usage patina on the front and back. First half of the 20th century;. SOLD without THE STAND