Lega Bwami Mask, Africa (Early 20th c.)

This exquisite Lega People mask is part of the Bwami tradition in the Congo. Bwami, a secretive society that manages the moral development of the individual and governing relations with others within the Lega Peoples, have used mask and figures to pass on guidelines to initiates for centuries.

The holes running around the lower edge of this mask would originally have held a beard made of liana fibers. As with most Lega masks, a heart shaped concave face that features a sharp mouth and eyes shaped like cowrie shells. White pigments (kaolin clay) are applied to the masks. Surprisingly, the masks are rarely worn on the face, but are attached to different parts of the body, hung on fences, held in the hand, or worn over the forehead with the beard draping over the face. The masks are most frequently used during initiation ceremonies.

- Wood
- Early 20th c.
- Congo
- From a 1950s Private New York Collection
- H: 9 3/4 in. W: 6 1/2 in.

Each item will be accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

No known fissures, or repairs.