Kuba - DR Congo

days

hours

minutes

seconds

Starting bid

€ 1

Reserve price not met

Expert

Selected by Julien Gauthier

A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.

Estimate € 280 - € 350

No bids placed

Catawiki Buyer Protection

Your payment’s safe with us until you receive your object.View details

Trustpilot 4.4 | 136165 reviews

Rated Excellent on Trustpilot.

Share this object with your friends

Kuba helmet mask from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, crafted from wood, copper, brass and animal hair, about 35 cm high, in good condition, with provenance Colección privada.

AI-assisted summary

Description from the seller

It is a helmet mask with a broad, rounded forehead and slightly sunken cheeks. Some sources claim that it is
the head of a pygmy. In fact, it could be that the character corresponds to a specific member
of the Chwa pygmies—one of the numerous pygmy groups of hunter-gatherers
who inhabit territories close to the Kuba villages—and that it was made known by King Miko
Mimbul. According to other traditions, it is a representation of a prince with hydrocephalus. Some say
that the image is of a Ngesh who traditionally appeared among the initiates.

Provenance: Berthe Hartert collection
Argiles Collection, Barcelona

Translated Show original