Mask ‘Mbuya’

Pende, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Early 20th century

Wood, Pigments

26.5cm Tall

Provenance:

Colonial Collection before 1960, Liege, Belgium

Olivier Larroque, Parcours des Mondes 2016

Guy van Rijn Family collection

A fine and old dance mask from the Western Pende people, depicting an idealized, androgynous face. The downcast eyes, closed mouth, upturned nose, and red color are all symbols of beauty in the Pende culture, with the face being accentuated by fashionable scarifications painted with Kaolin.