Mask - Congo (No reserve price)
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Vili mask titled Masque Vili (Masque Tombula), carved in wood from Congo, a traditional mask of the Vili people; 35 cm high by 23 cm wide; good condition with some wear and age-related staining.
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Description from the seller
Vili Mask
Tombula Mask
This African mask, adorned with strips, resembles sculptures. A headdress composed of parallel shells unfolds in a fan behind a prominent forehead, whose breadth is counterbalanced by a prognathous jaw. There is a gap at the level of the mouth. Present along the Gabonese coast, the Vili separated from the Kongo kingdom in the 16th century, and the Loango kingdom became a powerful state. Now mostly urbanized, they nevertheless still incorporate traditional associations, depending on ancestor worship such as the Mbouiti or the Bieri. Just like the Kongo group, in order to protect themselves against sorcery and various misfortunes, they produce a wide variety of magical ritual objects of the nkisi type. Their masks are used by the Ndunga or Djembe association, but also for the funerals of dignitaries and during traditional initiations. Others are reserved for diviners.
The Vili, the Lâri, the Sûndi, the Woyo, the Bembé, the Bwende, the Yombé and the Kôngo formed the Kôngo group, led by the ntotela king. Their
Vili Mask
Tombula Mask
This African mask, adorned with strips, resembles sculptures. A headdress composed of parallel shells unfolds in a fan behind a prominent forehead, whose breadth is counterbalanced by a prognathous jaw. There is a gap at the level of the mouth. Present along the Gabonese coast, the Vili separated from the Kongo kingdom in the 16th century, and the Loango kingdom became a powerful state. Now mostly urbanized, they nevertheless still incorporate traditional associations, depending on ancestor worship such as the Mbouiti or the Bieri. Just like the Kongo group, in order to protect themselves against sorcery and various misfortunes, they produce a wide variety of magical ritual objects of the nkisi type. Their masks are used by the Ndunga or Djembe association, but also for the funerals of dignitaries and during traditional initiations. Others are reserved for diviners.
The Vili, the Lâri, the Sûndi, the Woyo, the Bembé, the Bwende, the Yombé and the Kôngo formed the Kôngo group, led by the ntotela king. Their
Details
Era
After 2000
Number of objects
1
Material
Wood
Country of origin
Congo
Condition
Good condition - used with small signs of aging & blemishes
Height
35 cm
Width
23 cm
