Title: Male Mask
Material: Wood, natural fiber
People: Songye
Country: D.R. Congo
Description: Masks of the Bwandi Bwa Kifwebe Society
aid its leaders in the exercise of economic & political
power by evoking the help of supernatural forces. Songye
masks are distinguished by rows of grooves on th mask
face, representing the subterranean region from which the
primordial couple emerged. The masks depict either a male
or female spirit. Female masks are predominantly white or
have retained the color of the wood; male masks usually
incorporate the color red. Male masks have an upstanding
comb which extends over the head into the nose. In
contrast, female masks have only a small crest, & stripes
which are closer together.
Included is a custom-built metal stand.
Mask dimensions: 30 1/2" height x 9" width x 11" depth
Stand dimensions: 25 1/2" height x 8" width x 8" depth
Ex. Jean Pierre Hallet Collection
