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This mask was carved in the style of the Suku people of DRC. This interesting mask features a face with small circular eyes. The mask measures 10.5 inches tall, 15 inches on its stand and weighs 5 pounds. There is some cracking, scrapes and scuffs – please inspect photos.
This is a piece from the Dave Dahl Collection. Please feel free to contact us with your best offers! Please include item title or SKU.
| Type of Object | Mask |
|---|---|
| Country of Origin | DR Congo |
| Ethnicity | Suku |
| Material | Wood and pigment |
| Approximate Age | Unknown |
| Height (Inches) | 10.5" mask | 15" on stand |
| Width (Inches) | 8" |
| Depth (Inches) | 7" |
| Weight (Pounds) | 1 lb mask | 5 lbs on stand |
| Overall Condition | Cracks, scrapes and scuffs – please inspect photos |
“The 80,000 Suku people lived in the south-western part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) since the 16th century. With the arrical of the Yaka and the Lunda intheir territory, they were split into two autonomous groups. Their main econoomix resource is farming, but occasionally communal hunts are organized. Stylistically, their sculptures are characterized by an enlarged head with an almond-shaped mouth with incised teeth, a triangular nose and coffee-bean eyes, all set under an elaborate coiffure. The Suku carved large figures, which were used during fertility ceremonies, and crouching fetish figures to which paraphernalia were attached. These were used either as ancestor figures or as the personification of evil spirits.”
Source:
Baquart, Jean-Baptiste. The Tribal Arts of Africa. New York: Thames and Hudson Inc. 1998. Print
“Large face masks and helmet masks surmounted by animal or human figures were worn by dancers during certain initiation ceremonies.”