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This is a hand-carved wooden African mask styled after the tradition of the Songye people (specifically the Kifwebe mask style) from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is a a tall, cylindrical, and flattened rectangular structure with a rounded crown.
There is asharp, raised central crest or ridge that runs down the middle of the forehead to the bridge of the nose. In traditional Songye carving, a prominent crest indicates a male mask (Kilume). At the apex of the forehead sits a high, raised central crest/fin running along the midline down to the bridge of the nose. Small nostril holes are drilled at the base.Thisprominent, dark triangular nose forms the central axis and leads down to a raised rectangular mouth carved with an inverted geometric \"X\" cross-hatch pattern
The body of the mask is carved from dark-stained or charred wood. The large, arching brow structures surround deep-set, slit eye openings lined with a lighter reddish-tan pigment or unpainted bare wood underneath.
Fine, parallel carved grooves run horizontally across the rounded forehead and transition into long, vertical linear ridges or striated carvings stretch down the rest of the face.The entire face and forehead are covered in these deeply carved, vertical and sweeping linear grooves, which is the defining artistic hallmark of Kifwebe masks.
15” x 5.75” x 3.25”
