A fine, shiny, black mask from the region of the Kuba in the central southern area of the Congo. The Kuba are a confederation of 18 ethnic groups. According to its decoration with wide bands of small, white triangles on the forehead, on both cheeks and on the chin this mask can be assigned to the Kuba subgroups of the Biombo or Kuba-Kete. Carved of hard, light-coloured wood, on the front black and on the back dark brown. With notable naturalistic facial features: highly arched eyebrows, slit eyes, block-like applied ears, a very fine curved nose, whose tip appears slightly ‘retracted’, as well as with a wide, open mouth. Along the upper border of the forehead runs a curved line of 17 holes. In these holes, a ‘hairstyle’ of plant fibres with rattan wickerwork was originally attached, so that the mask was put above the head of the dancer like a helmet mask and used in dances. A very rare mask with a few small breaks due to age on the front and on the back rim. The hairstyle is no longer preserved. Otherwise no damage. Displaying a convincing old shiny patina at the front and back as a result of protracted use.
Height: 27 cm; width: 25 cm.
First half of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance:
Austrian collection.