Panel with "kifwebe" mask - D. R. Congo, Songye

wood,

A panel by the same artist or workshop was auctioned on 16 November 2019 as lot 311 at Zemanek-Münster (AHDRC 0167348).

A formally comparable panel from the Jay C. Leff collection was sold at Sotheby Parke Bernet in New York in October 1975 (AHDRC 0030950). Another, very similar panel was offered at Sotheby's London in June 1985 (AHDRC 0030951).

This panel belongs to the ritual context of the "bwadi bwa kifwebe" society. It can possibly be categorised as a "kalengula" mask. These appear in various guises. However, their meaning has not yet been clearly clarified.
H: 51 cm, H: 20,1 inch

Provenance:
Alain Guisson, Brussels, Belgium

Continent: Africa
Condition Report: See description