The Kuba (or Bakuba) are a confederation of 18 ethnic groups in central southern Congo. The Kuba have more than 20 different mask designs which appear during theatrical dance presentations and important events such as initiations, funerals etc. The most important of these are the three ‘royal’ masks.
The present ‘royal’ mask represents ‘Bwoom’, the insubordinate, rebellious brother of the king. A helmet mask made of lightweight, light-coloured wood, dyed black. The typical bulging forehead is completely covered with pierced copper sheeting. The black-dyed wood of the face area displays a detailed, linear incised pattern of lozenges, and there is also a covering of copper sheet on the cheeks, on the nostrils of the wide, large nose, and on the mouth. Moreover, the ‘Bwoom mask’ is provided with chains of white, yellow, blue and red glass beads in characteristic Kuba style, which are sewn onto strips of fabric. On the back of the head there are pierced cowrie shells in a cross-pattern sewn onto fabric, as well as, in the middle, the typical Kuba pattern of the ‘endless knots’ made out of black and white glass beads. The mask also displays a narrow, all-round ‘beard’ hung with cowries, glass beads, and cut open seed capsules (with partially inset plant fibres), as well as a long piece of animal fur with black hairs under the chin. At the crown of the head, the mask has a circular opening, closed over with a ‘cushion’ of brown fibre fabric, and decorated with lozenge-shaped strips of light brown animal fur sewn on. On both sides of the helmet mask, triangular ‘cheek flaps’ of fibre fabric are attached; these are bound along the rear mask rim with a fabric strip. These helmet masks of the Kuba generally do not have slits for the eyes for the mask dancer (as is the case with the present mask). The dancer wears it on his head on an inserted ‘cushion’ at an angle above, and looks out through the large, open nostrils of the mask. Overall a very impressive, large and old ’Bwoom mask’, with small, age-related damage (minimal breakages, a crack to the left cheek, and colour scuffing to exposed areas and edges, such as the nose, the cheeks and ears, and slightly chipped). Otherwise no damage. Good, old, partially shiny usage patina outside and inside.
Height: 52 cm (with black beard); 32 cm (without black beard); 16 cm (on the back); width: c. 26 cm.
First third of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance:
Austrian private collection.

Lit.:
‘Afrika’ by Michel Leiris & Jacqueline Delange, ill. 396; ‘Het gelaat van de geesten’ by Frank Herreman & Constantijn Petridis, ill. 60;’ Das zweite Gesicht. Masken aus der Sammlung Barbier-Müller’ by Iris Hahner-Herzog, Maria Kecskési & László Vajda.