Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Songye peoples, ca. early to mid-20th century CE. A figure comprised of wood wrapped with a fiber network, a leather kit with remaining brown hairy coat around the waist, a long raffia collar, feathers dangling from fiber extension behind the head, and a painted wood female kifwebe mask (female as it is without a comb and incorporates white pigment) with incised striations at the head, the eyes overshadowed by enormous brows and the mouth puckering outward in a rectangular shape, the mask painted black and white. Wood block stand. Size: 15.625" H (39.7 cm); 17.5" H (44.4 cm) on stand

The most well-known masks of the Songye culture are Kifwebe masks worn in connection with the Bwadi Bwa Kifwebe secret society. Kifwebe are used to symbolize the connection of local ruling elites with spiritual powers. The elite in the Songye culture are seen as those who know witchcraft and sorcery in the society, and the striated lines of the mask can be read by the right person to decode some of this mystical knowledge.

Provenance: Ex-Alan Davis collection, Santa Fe, NM, ex-TAD Tribal Art, Taylor Dale, Santa Fe, NM; ex-Ghent, Belgium collection

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#121399

Loss to right foot. Otherwise very good with minor surface wear to mask.