Tribal mask - Kifwebe - complete of costume, cone and plumes - Songye - Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ancient male Kifwebe mask complete of costume from Songye tribe, D. R. of Congo.

Dimensions: height: 38 cm; width: 20.5 cm; depth: 22 cm; with costume: height: 76 cm; width: 30 cm; depth: 40 cm.

Estimated age: 1940.

Provenance: collected on 1952 by comboni father Luigi De Giorgi in Kasongo, Belgian Congo, nowadays Maniema province, Democratic Republic of Congo. Purchased from Mbuya Comboni Missionaries, Kampala (Uganda), on 2006.

Type of wood: Ricinodendron Rautanenii.

Substances: the colours of the mask are a bit faded. The black dye has been identified as charcoal (“Lifito” in Basongye language). The white dye has been applied by the use of riverbed clay (known in Basongye language as “Ntoshi”), a type of clay similar to kaolin, mixed with yellow ochre (limonite dust). The mask has been repainted several times, as usual for most of tribally used masks from Songye tribe. Looking carefully at the surface, it's possible to see four levels of colour, of which the last appears to be the black dye on the nose and on the eyes. The fur applied on the nose comes from Da Brazza's monkeys fur (Cercopithecus Neglectus).

The mask comes complete of costume made by vegetable fibres, cone and plumes on it.

Overall condition: the mask shows general wear and light grey patina. The wood is very fragile due to its old age. Considering its age, the mask is in great shape.

A professional invoice with a picture of the object, as well as the aforementioned description, will be delivered with the lot.

Delivery by International Quick Pack.