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THB20th C. African Songye Wood Mask - Kifwebe
Lot 116d
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
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Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$1,200 - $1,800
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| $10,000 | $1,000 |
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About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Dec 2, 2021
Set Reminder
2021-12-02 10:00:00
2021-12-02 10:00:00
America/New_York
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Bidsquare : Fine Antiquities | Asian | Ethnographic Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/fine-antiquities-asian-ethnographic-art-7918
Features classical antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art from cultures encompassing the globe. Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Asian, Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fine / Visual Arts, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Features classical antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art from cultures encompassing the globe. Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Asian, Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fine / Visual Arts, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (346)
- Lot Description
Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Songye peoples, ca. 20th century CE. A stunning, hand-carved wooden mask known as a kifwebe, presenting stylized features enveloped in decorative linear incisions. Adorned in white and black pigments, the fascinating vizard features a square mouth that projects upwards as though chanting. Just above, a ridge that forms the nose displays incised nostrils and is flanked by slit-form, openwork eyes. A black crest extends vertically down the face, beginning at the top of the forehead, travelling over the nose and mouth, and then flaring out to a triangular shape at the elongated chin. The eyes are also covered by a stripe of black that stretches to the periphery of each side, while the remaining surface of the mask is adorned with hand-sculpted horizontal and diagonal striations. Perforations along the edges likely held additional ornamentation or attached to a costume. Size: 7.5" W x 12.8" H (19 cm x 32.5 cm)
The most well-known masks of the Songye culture are Kifwebe masks worn in connection with the secret society known as the Bwadi Bwa Kifwebe. The elite in the Songye culture are seen as those who know and practice witchcraft and sorcery in the society, and the striated lines of the mask can be read by certain individuals to decode some of this mystical knowledge.
According to African and ethnology experts Iris Hahner-Herzog et al., "Bifwebe (sing. Kifwebe) masks belong to the accoutrements of a society of the same name that to this day enjoys extreme respect among the eastern Songye. The society includes individuals with supernatural power (basha masende) who are believed to manipulate spirits by means of magical techniques. The masks, supplemented by a woven costume and a long beard of raffia bast, dance at various ceremonies. They are worn by men who act as police at the behest of a ruler, or to intimidate the enemy in case of war." (Hahner-Herzog, Iris, Maria Kecskesi, and Laszlo Vajda. "African Masks from the Barbier-Mueller Collection, Geneva." Prestel Verlag, Munich, 2002, p. 212.)
Cf. the Brooklyn Museum, accession numbers 2011.4.2 and 81.165. Similar masks have been sold by Sotheby's New York for $20,000 on May 15th, 2017 as lot 116 in their Art of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas auction (sale number N09619) and Christie's Paris for 169,500 euros (equivalent to $197,850.91) on June 19th, 2014 as lot 200 in their Art d'Afrique, d'Oceanie et d'Amerique du Nord auction (live auction 3594).
Provenance: private Louisville, Colorado, USA collection
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#167580Chipping to corners of mouth. Expected surface wear with some light nicks and abrasions. Otherwise, intact and excellent with nice remaining pigments. Metal wire on verso of suspension.Condition
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