African Arts Gallery

This flat and circular African mask was kept in a basket of the lodge belonging to the secret society ekanga . Use patina with residues from a plant brush. Small restoration using wicker. Cracks. Height on a base: 46 cm.
The province of Lualaba had several close ethnic groups with similar associations. The Mbole and Yela are known for their statues, according to D. Biebuck, of the hanged, named ofika . The lilwa , an association with dogmatic initiation rites, had the custom of judging and sentencing those guilty of violations of the imposed rules to hang. These offences ranged from murder to adultery to breaking the secrecy surrounding the lilwa . Disgraced, the bodies of condemned men had no funerals and were buried in the forest. It was during the end-of-initiation ceremonies, ...

This flat, circular African mask was kept in a lodge basket belonging to the secret society ekanga . Velvety patina, polychrome highlights.
Height on base: 46 cm.
The province of Lualaba had several close ethnic groups with similar associations. The Mbole and the Yela are known for their statues embodying, according to D. Biebuck, hanged men. Biebuck ,of the hanged, named ofika . The lilwa , an association with dogmatic initiation rites, had the custom of judging and sentencing to hanging those guilty of infractions of the imposed rules. These offenses ranged from murder to adultery to breaking the secrecy encircling the lilwa . Dishonored, the bodies of condemned persons were not given any burial and were buried in the forest. It was during the end-of-initiation ...

Ex-collection of Belgian African art.

The diamond-cut head offers rough lines, consisting of only incisions indicating the yux and mouth, and grooves drawing the eyebrows. Smooth polychrome patina.
The province of Lualaba had a number of related ethnic groups with similar associations. The Mbole and the Yela , Kela, are known for their statues embodying, according to D. Biebuck, hanged men, named ofika . The lilwa, an association with dogmatic initiation rites, used to judge and sentence to hang those guilty of infringing the imposed rules. These offences ranged from murder to adultery and the breaking of the secret surrounding the lilwa. Dishonored, the bodies of the condemned had no funeral and were buried in the forest. It was during the ceremonies of the end of ...

Very graphically carved anthropomorphic figure. The head with the flat skull is in prism, the hexagonal legs. The pubis forms an unexpected prominence. Glossy patina, golden brown, erosions.
The province of Lualaba had several close ethnic groups with similar associations. The Mbole and the Yela are known for their statues embodying, according to D. Biebuck, hanged men, named ofika. The lilwa , an association with dogmatic initiation rites, used to judge and sentence to hanging those guilty of violations of the imposed rules. These offenses ranged from murder to adultery to breaking the secrecy surrounding the lilwa. Dishonored, the bodies of the condemned enjoyed no funeral and were buried in the forest. It was during the ceremonies at the end of the initiation, presided over by ...

Old Yela or Tetela knife, whose handle incised with discreet decorative hatching is made of wood.
Linear engravings line the contours of the blade.

Lack and desication cracks.
The province of Lualaba had several close ethnic groups with similar associations. The Mbole and the Yela are known for their statues embodying, according to D. Biebuck, hanged men, named ofika. Scattered throughout the Kasai basin, the Tetela of Mongo origin have been the source of incessant conflicts with their neighbours. Their very diversified sculpture is marked by the influence of the groups living in contact with them: in the North, their art was subjected to the influence of the populations of the forest such as the Mongo, in the North-West that of the Nkutschu , and to the west ...

African sculpture Yela featuring two faceted characters standing back to back, separating from the bust, and of which two massive blocks form the feet. The heads, cut in diamond, have just incised features.
The province of Lualaba had several close ethnic groups with similar associations. The Mbole and the Yela are known for their statues embodying, according to D. Biebuck, hanged men, named ofika. The lilwa , an association with dogmatic initiation rites, used to judge and sentence to hanging those guilty of violations of the imposed rules. These offenses ranged from murder to adultery to breaking the secrecy surrounding the lilwa. Dishonored, the bodies of the condemned enjoyed no funeral and were buried in the forest. It was during the ceremonies at the end of the initiation, ...

African statue Yela, very graphic, depicting an ancestor of the clan. The heart-shaped, concave face is topped with a double crest. The parallel limbs are spread out from the body, the sex in evidence.
Dark oiled patina.

The Lualaba province had several closely related ethnic groups with similar associations. The Mbole and the Yela are known for their statues embodying, according to D. Biebuck ,of the hanged, named ofika . The lilwa , an association with dogmatic initiation rites, had the custom of judging and sentencing to hanging those guilty of infractions of the imposed rules. These offenses ranged from murder to adultery to breaking the secrecy encircling the lilwa . Dishonored, the bodies of condemned persons were not given any burial and were buried in ...

A faceted morphology for this Yela statue featuring a character with a narrow bust supported by thick angular legs. The large diamond-cut head offers a face with simply traced features.

This flat African mask is of yela inspiration, from the characteristic striations and pout. Yela masks were used by the secret initiation society ekanga.

Height on base: 64 cm. The province of Lualaba had several closely related ethnic groups with similar associations. The Mbole and the Yela are known for their statues embodying, according to D. Biebuck, hanged men. Biebuck ,of the hanged, named ofika . The lilwa , an association with dogmatic initiation rites, had the custom of judging and sentencing to hanging those guilty of infractions of the imposed rules. These offenses ranged from murder to adultery to breaking the secrecy encircling the lilwa . Dishonored, the bodies of condemned persons were not given any burial and were buried in the forest. It was ...

Wearing a bird perched between rounded horns, this African mask from je has a hair divided into three painstakingly engraved with diamond motifs. The delicacy of the model, the brilliant patina, reveal the talent of African tribal art sculptors from Côte d'Ivoire. This copy, named Anoman , Lomane , (bird in baoulé) is part of the fourth of the seven masks je which originally danced around the deceased and leaned to the touch for a purifying purpose. He also appears at the moment in the course of rejoicing. Minimal desication crack.
The Yaouré are a subgroup of the Akan People present in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. Geographically close to the Baoulé and the Gouros, we feel in yaouré art the influence of these ethnic groups through attention to detail and aesthetics. The masks of ...

Male figure, stocky, distinguished by angular edges and a concave bust. The head with a flat skull is cut into diamonds. Sex also adopts the form of the orange. These sculptures embodying desecration of the Lilwa rules were hidden and exhibited on rare occasions. Locally chipped matte patina combining two pigments, erosions at the base.
The province of Lualaba had several close ethnic groups with similar associations. The Mbole and Yela are known for their statues, according to D. Biebuck, of the hanged, named ofika . The lilwa , an association with dogmatic initiation rites, had the custom of judging and sentencing those guilty of violations of the imposed rules to hang. These offences ranged from murder to adultery to breaking the secrecy surrounding the lilwa . Disgraced, the ...

Female figure made up of geometric surfaces. The head with a flat skull is cut into diamonds. The pubis is sculpted in prominence. A glossy patina, a crack of desication runs through the statuette.
The province of Lualaba had several close ethnic groups with similar associations. The Mbole and Yela are known for their statues, according to D. Biebuck, of the hanged, named ofika . The lilwa , an association with dogmatic initiation rites, had the custom of judging and sentencing those guilty of violations of the imposed rules to hang. These offences ranged from murder to adultery to breaking the secrecy surrounding the lilwa . Disgraced, the bodies of condemned men had no funerals and were buried in the forest. It was during the end-of-the-introduction ceremonies, presided over by a ...