Grade Mask - Lega - Drc - Early 20th Century - Primitive / Tribal / African Art

Grade mask of the Bwami society. It presents a face inscribed in a heart-shaped space. The almond-shaped eyes are carved in relief. The nose is decorated with a layered incised decoration. The mouth appears in an oblong cavity. Wood, old red and brown patina of use, remains of kaolin, plant fiber. Lega, Democratic Republic of Congo, early 20th century Dimensions: 14 x 10.5 cm – With goatee: 38 cm Provenance: old collection from the north of France Sold with certificate of authenticity from the expert Serge Reynes, guarantee of origin and period.* Shipping costs on estimate. "Worn during the initiation rites of the lutumbo lwa yananio, this type of mask belongs to the major insignia marking hierarchical progression in Bwami society. It is not a dance mask, but an emblem of symbolic transmission. This upper mask was often worn attached to a headdress or displayed in the hand in codified sequences, expressing the moral values transmitted by the elders. It could evoke, through its shape and formal rigor, the memory of the initiating father, continuity between generations, or even the model of the accomplished man according to the lega principles."