Enquiry about object: 10394
Well-Carved Pende Miniature Mask
Pende People, Congo 20th century
length: 8.8cm, width: 3.7cm, weight: 12g
Provenance
private collection, London; and acquired by the previous owner in London in the 1960s.
This beautifully carved wooden miniature mask was intended to serve either as a pendant or an attached to fabric or perhaps basketry. The face has downcast, coffee-bean eyes; pursed, parted lips; a pointy chain; a high, bulbous forehead; and a long, arched monobrow. There are small ears on the side. Seven small holes are drilled around the head to allow the mask to be attached. The holes slightly vary in diameter.
There is a long beard-like section. This has been carved with bands of triangle motifs, matching similar motifs on the cheeks and forehead. The beads suggests it is based on a type of Pende mask known as a kiwoyo-muyombo (Bacquart, 1998, p. 176).
The surface has been darkened with scorching.
The mask appears to be based on the miniature gikhokho or minyaki pendants carved from hippopotamus tooth and worn by initiated Pende men only. These were worn around the neck suspended from cords or strings of beads.
The mask is in fine condition.
References
Bacquart, J. B., The Tribal Arts of Africa, Thames & Hudson, 1998.
Borel, F., The Splendour of Ethnic Jewelry: From the Colette and Jean-Pierre Ghysels Collection, Thames & Hudson, 1994.
Hoek, C., et al, Ethnic Jewellery: From Africa, Asia and Pacific Islands, Pepin Press, 2004.
Sieber, R., Out of Africa: Sub-Saharan Traditional Arts, The Dayton Art Institute, 2000.
Strother, Z. S., Visions of Africa: Pende, 5 Continents, 2008.
Walker, R.A., The Arts of Africa: At the Dallas Museum of Art, Yale University Press, 2009.
