Tundu Dancemask - medium density wood - Pende- D.R.C.

Magnificent Tundu Dancemask – Pende – D. R. C.

. In fairly good state; it dates back to around 1930 -1940. On stand.

. Provenance: Ex- collection of Dr. Guido Ceuppens, greater Antwerp, Belgium. Obtained by him from a local mission exhibition around 1955. Bought from him by H. Westerdijk around 1970.

. Tundu stands for one of the many character types the Pende have used in their dance theaters centered around circumcision and initiation. Tundu represents the dummy, blacky, the clown or jester and the fool, the dirty old man or the simpleton, all versions of the same theme of the social outcast , interpreted differently in the various parts of the vast Pende territories. Characteristic features of this type of mask are the round protruding eyes, the frown in the forehead, sign of irascibility and unpredictability, the U-shaped ears, the tattoo marks on the temples, the carved-in lines on the cheeks and the grinning mouth with bared white teeth. The nose has an arrow shape and the chin is pointed. This example has a very lively and clownish appearance and a fine dark patina from use.

. Literature: Z. S. Strother: Pende, Milano, 2008, fig. 22 on p. 106. See also Willy Mestach: L”Intelligence des formes, Brussels, 2007, 122-123.

. Dimensions: 23 x 20 x 12 cm.
. People/ Region: The Central Pende live in the West Kasaye Province and adjacent Eastern Bandundu Province.
. Material: medium density wood.
. Weight: 0. 33 kg.

. Sold with handwritten declaration of authenticity by Dr. P. Westerdijk, museum ethnologist and cultural anthropologist specialized, for over 50 years now, in the study of the material cultures in African nations that live south of the Sahara.

. For the original text from seller, set language on this site to: English