Lot: 421

86th Tribal Art Auction

Mask

D. R. Congo, Lele

Provenance Size Starting price / estimated price
Yves Créhalet, Paris, France H: 10.6 inch This object is not available anymore.

light wood, brown patina, red and white pigment, u-shaped, accentuated arching brows, ornamentally painted, min. dam., small missing part (back), slight traces of abrasion, base;
the Lele are decisively influenced by neighbouring Kuba groups, which makes it difficult to differentiate their ritual artworks from those of the other Kuba kinsmen. Typical however, are shield-shaped, flat masks, painted in various colours, and with slit pierced eyes, several eye brows, and small mouths.


Felix, Marc L., 100 Peoples of Zaire and their Sculpture, Brussels 1987, p. 74 f.