The mask is crafted of one piece of ivory in the typical Lega style: an elongated, heart-shaped, concave face area, coffee bean eyes in relief, long, narrow nose and small mouth. Decorated with fine dotted lines, one vertically above the forehead, four of them on the outer rim of the heart-shaped face in the upper half, with double dotted lines along the lower half of the face, as well as with a double dotted line across each cheek, below the eyes. With a beard attached to the chin, made of old, already fragile plant fibres. Such ivory masks were never worn in front of the face or ‘used in dances’. They served solely as a sign of rank of their highly positioned owner.
The present, very rare, large mask shows a fine, inner structure and delicate growth lines in the old material of the ivory. With fine craquelure, very delicate cracks as well as with an excellent, old, shiny patina, which changes from light honey-yellow to patchy, dark reddish-brown (ivory naturally darkens and grows speckled over time). The piece was probably often rubbed with palm oil. Palm oil causes a reddish-brown patination on ivory. With a few small, superficial breakages due to age and usage, and thin cracks to both sides of the reddish-brown patinated reverse. Here also with remains of black tree resin around both eyes and around the mouth. Otherwise no damage, and in best condition.
There is a collection inventory number, in white letters, on the lower rim at the back.
Height: 22.5 cm (without fibre beard); width: 12.5 cm.
19th century to around 1900. (ME) ASA

Provenance:
South African private collection.

Lit.:
‘L’art des Lega’, catalogue Musée du Quai Branly, cover photo and ill. 26, 188, 189, 191.