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Premium BLANCHET & Associés
263
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Kifwébé Songye mask, Democratic Republic of Congo, wood, kao…
See original version (French)
263
-
Kifwébé Songye mask, Democratic Republic of Congo, wood, kao…
See original version (French)
Estimate €1,200 - €2,000
Voluntary lot
Description
Kifwébé Songye mask, Democratic Republic of Congo, wood, kaolin, H.42cmxW.22cm (plinth). Provenance: former collection of the artist André Van Ghendt, Belgium. The kifwebe type is recognisable by its prognathic parallelepiped mouth, half-closed eyes in the shape of a quarter-moon and the quasi-hypnotic motifs flooding the perimeter of the structure. Bifwebe masks (plural of Kifwebe) remain one of the most famous examples in the corpus of African art. Very early on, they were associated with modern artists for their singular expressiveness and the bold power they exude. Kifwebe masks can be divided into two main types: kilume masks for men and kikashi masks for women. Although these two types of mask were intended to make opposing impressions on the viewer, when used together they had a complementary duality. While the male masks had a powerful coercive dimension, embodying evil forces, the female masks were seen as symbols of benevolence. These two types of mask also share the initiatory secrets of Buci and Masende sorcery.
See original version (French)
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Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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