Mask - Mbangu - Pende - DR Congo (No reserve price)

Mbangu mask (illness mask), Pende, Kongo.

The mask is identifiable by a contrast of white and black that halves the face, and by an overall distortion of the facial features, especially the twisted nose and the twisted mouth. The color white, a symbol for the spirits of the dead, in this case stands for the hope of healing from illnesses. The dark pigment represents the disease that haunts one for a lifetime.
The combination of black and white symbolizes this struggle.