Old Tribal Bakongo Double-Faced Mask with Fetish / Nkisi Nails and Head Cap. Manyanga Tribe. Kongo Kingdom. DRC. Africa
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The Manyanga tribe live on the right bank of the Zaire (aka Congo) River. The location is near the tributary of the Lefini River.
This is a relatively unknown tribe whose artists are known for their elongated faces, rounded cheeks, carefully rendered faces and nails.
This is a fetish that primarily functions to drive away sorcerers, witches and very evil spirits. In this case, the twin- or double- faces add to the power of the fetish . . . and the pigment color enhances those powers even more.
Carved from a single piece of wood with color pigments, cloth, nails and other embellishments. A heavy woven fabric (that can be weighted so it sits behind the mask) acts like a hood. A ring of woven grasses forms a ring below the shins. On the forehead are two small boxes on the crown that are filled with medicine and closed with glass/mirror.
I was told that this mask was brought to the Netherlands in the late 1950s by a missionary family. It has been in the Netherlands until I acquired it recently.
Rare and old, suitable for the Serious Collector. Stand not included.
This mask as sold. Thanks C.R.