Bembe - DR Congo

This mask was acquired as a ‘witch-healer’ mask from the Bembé people. Judging by its shape and finish,
it appears to be pre-Bembé, from Basikasingo. It has a broad, rounded forehead; two large eye sockets, also
circular, one painted white and the other red; bulging, almond-shaped, open eyes, in the
brown-black of the mask, separated by a very elongated triangular nose with pronounced wings and
a central white stripe extending down the centre of the forehead to its end; on the forehead, starting
from the central white stripe, there is a red stripe over the white eye socket and a white one over the red eye socket; starting from the sides of the nose, white and red stripes alternate down to the beard, which runs from the eyes and frames the face; the mouth is open, with a straight lower part merging into the chin and a semi-elliptical upper part revealing the upper teeth; the entire mask is surrounded by a large raffia-like mane and beard.

Provenance: Mundo Africano, Barcelona
Argiles Collection, Barcelona