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292 - Kifwebe Kilume Songye mask Democratic Republic of Congo Prov…
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Estimate €800 - €1,200
Sale commission
Description
Kifwebe Kilume Songye mask Democratic Republic of Congo Provenance: important Belgian private collection built up over nearly 100 years of presence in the D.R. D. Congo Materials: wood, pigment, raffia and weaving Height: 64 cm Excellent condition, some signs of wear. Base included. Presentation: Presented with base, in gallery condition. The Kifwebe masks of the Songye, and more particularly the male masks known as Kilume, are major ritual objects linked to the Bwadi bwa Kifwebe initiation society, a religio responsible for maintaining social, moral and cosmic order. Carved in wood and covered in pigments - mainly black, white and sometimes reddish -, these masks are characterised by their geometric striations and their prominent sagittal crest whose height and shape indicate the degree of power and spiritual authority of the wearer. of the wearer. Kilume masks, reserved for initiated men, embody aggressive supernatural forces, associated with control, coercion and protection of the community. Used for public rituals, initiations, funerals and disciplinary interventions, Kilume masks Kilume masks appeared in codified dances, with sudden, threatening movements designed to impress intended to impress and channel energies that were considered dangerous. Their abstract iconography - chromatic contrasts, distorted faces, vibrant lines - is not a decorative aesthetic, but a symbolic language expressing the balance between beneficial and destructive forces. An object of fear and respect, the Kifwebe Kilume mask embodies male ritual authority ritual authority and the invisible power that guarantees social cohesion among the Songye and groups in south-central Congo.
See original version (French)
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About the sale ARTS OF AFRICA & OCEANIA: Three exceptional family collections
Auction location
Auction time 06/22/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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