African art > African mask, tribal art, primitive art > Masque Cuba

Masque Cuba (N° 14582)

The Kuba kingdom was founded in the 16th century by the Bushoong which are still ruled by a king today. It is the most prolific group in Western Kasai. In the south of the Kuba country, at the confluence of the Kasai and Lulua rivers, live the Biombo , whose traditional masked ceremonies have similarities to those of their neighbors. More than twenty types of tribal masks are used in the Kuba or " lightning people", with meanings and functions that vary from group to group. Ritual ceremonies remained an opportunity to display decorative arts and masks to honour the spirit of the deceased or to honour the king. Most of these masks embody the spirits of nature, guarantors of fertility and fertility, named the ngesh . Housed under deep eyebrow arches in the heart delimiting the prominent frontal space, the globular eyelids under which an incision allowed visions seem to be lowered. At the top, a small cylindrical protrusion was used to attach accessories such as feathers. Diamond patterns form large friezes on the face. The cut of the skull also illustrates the partially shaved kuba hairstyles on the temples. The protruding mouth forms a quadrangle. Locally abraded burgundy matte patina, affected cornized xylophages.  

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Originex-collection belge
EthnyBiombo
Countryrdc ex zaire
Material(s)wood
Height cm40
Width25 cm
Weight1.05 Kg
Estimated datingcirca 1960
Socle inclusOptional

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14583