1 / 4
Premium MILLON
223
-
Bicorne rank mask Wood, remnants of kaolin, old patina and m…
See original version (French)
223
-
Bicorne rank mask Wood, remnants of kaolin, old patina and m…
See original version (French)
Estimate €1,200 - €1,800
Voluntary lot
Description
Bicorne rank mask
Wood, remnants of kaolin, old patina and marks of use, later raffia
Lega, Democratic Republic of Congo
38 x 9 cm without raffia
The Lega live in the forests of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, between Lake Tanganyika and the Maniema equatorial forest. At the heart of their social organisation is the initiation society of the Bwami, a hierarchical structure with several degrees, accession to which involved tests, the transmission of knowledge and the possession of specific ritual objects. Rank masks were among the most important insignia of this society: worn on the face, held in the hand or hung from palisades during initiation ceremonies, they were not conceived as disguises but as vehicles of memory and moral authority, embodying the values and precepts transmitted within the Bwami. Their circulation, accumulation and transmission determined the status and progression of their holders within the initiation hierarchy.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
You may also like