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Premium BLANCHET & Associés
25
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Lwalwa mask, Democratic Republic of Congo, wood, pigment, H.
See original version (French)
25
-
Lwalwa mask, Democratic Republic of Congo, wood, pigment, H.
See original version (French)
Estimate €1,400 - €1,800
Voluntary lot
Description
Lwalwa mask, Democratic Republic of Congo, wood, pigment, H.34cmxW.18cm. The Lwalwa pantheon is dominated by the Supreme Being Mvidie Mukulu and by Nzambi, the omnipresent original creator. Lwalwa art is famous for its powerful and particularly cubist masks, such as the superb example in the Tranin collection, with its elegant lines and perfect balance. According to Ceyssens (in RMCA 1995, p.327), the profile of the nose refers to the long beak of the hornbill bird, while the protuberances on the temples are typical of Jindula or Kankolo body decoration. Looking at the straight line running from the forehead to the tip of the nose, we can imagine that Picasso borrowed the features for his portraits of Marie-Thérèse Walter. Although she herself had an aquiline nose, the incorporation of abstract lines borrowed from African motifs is indisputable (see Rubin in "Primitivisme", 1984, Vol 1, p.324).
See original version (French)
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Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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