One of the three ‘royal masks’ of the Kuba, in south central Congo. In the myth of origin of the Kuba, ‘bwoom’ is the jealous and rebellious brother of the tribal founder and first king of the Kuba, ‘mwaash amboy’ (for a more detailed explanation see cat. no. 139).
This beautiful, large ‘bwoom mask’ is carved completely in the traditional style and canon of forms, in brown wood, and its exposed wooden surfaces, covered with grids and punched patterning, are coloured black and brown. Its high, broad forehead, both cheeks and the mouth are covered with copper sheeting. It is ornamented with rich decoration of black-and-white and white-and-blue strands of glass beads in various sizes, as well as with many decoratively arranged cowrie shells. The larger ornamental surfaces, on the head at the top, at the back, at the side flaps and at the rim below, are underlaid with raffia fabric. From the lower rim, pendants of brown seeds dangle (some are missing). On the back the mask bears typical Kuba patterns, the ‘endless knots’, on a light blue and white field of glass beads.
A special feature of the Kuba bwoom masks: most of them have no eyeholes.
The masked dancers look through the nostrils of the large, wide nose placed dominantly on the face. A perfect example of a ‘bwoom’ mask of the Kuba. In excellent condition, with only minimal damage (slight colour scuffing in places, some seed pendants below are torn off). And yet with an excellent, old, partially shiny usage patina on the outside and especially on the inside of the ‘helmet’.

Dimensions: 40 cm x 25 cm x c. 38 cm. First half of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance: South African private collection.

Lit.: see cat. no. 139.