Lot: 307

97th Auction

Anthropo- / zoomorphic face mask

D. R. Congo, Ituri, Ndaaka / Bira

Provenance Size Starting price / estimated price
Marc Leo Felix, Brussels, Belgium
Galerie Jahn, Munich, Germany
Tom Levine (1945-2020), New York-Chelsea, USA
H: 8.1 inch / 13.2 inch (with beard) 4000 EUR
plus 27 % commission, VAT, transport and insurance

wood, colour pigments, plant fibres, handwritten inventory number "FX91139", base

This mask is published in Marc Leo Felix's standard work on the distribution of polychrome masks in the Ituri region (1992, p. 237, fig. 29).

The face is made of thin wood. It shows a low bulging forehead. The elongated face is dominated by a large mouth opening with finely carved long teeth. Felix suspected that it probably represents an ape mask.

The face is covered with red and white spot painting, as is often found in the Ituri region.


Felix, Marc L., Ituri, Munich 1992, p. 237, fig. 29