A large muminia mask from the Bwami society, embodying the c - Lot 69

A large muminia mask from the Bwami society, embodying the concepts of ethics and beauty in Lega country and visible through an intense presence. His large beard is made of plant fiber, and his face is still imprinted with kaolin. The large masks belong to "a community of initiates united by ties of kinship and territoriality" (Biebuyck, La sculpture des Lega, 1994, p.53) and celebrate the entire unity of the kindi (initiates) by taking part in initiation rites of several grades, they are linked to the ancestors and more specifically to the founder of the group. Lega, Democratic Republic of Congo Wood, kaolin, vegetal fibers, visible age-related wear and tear (woodborers), very fine age-related oxidation and patina. Height: 27cm Provenance: Hélène Leloup Collection, Paris Hélène Leloup Collection, Paris Passed on by descent