Mask (yellow)
Artist Unidentified
20th century
Object PlaceDemocratic Republic of the Congo
Medium/TechniqueWood, paint, cloth, raffia, fiber (horse hair or thread?)
DimensionsOverall: 50 x 26 x 13 cm (19 11/16 x 10 1/4 x 5 1/8 in.)
Credit LineGift of Geneviève McMillan in memory of Reba Stewart
Accession number2009.2589
On View
Not on viewClassificationsMasks
Collections
The Mbuya masks of the Pende can represent a wide cast of characters ranging from sorcerers and chiefs to chiefly wives and temptresses. Made of wood and raffia, the masks are generally accompanied by a raffia skirt and dancers perform in both secular and sacred contexts. Performers would hold objects in their hands that related to the characteristics of the mask. For instance, masks that evoked leadership would be accompanied by fly whisks. These characteristics were also reinforced by the accompanying songs and dances associated with the mask.
Provenance1978, sold by Billo (?), Paris, to Geneviève McMillan (b. 1922 - d. 2008), Cambridge, MA; 2008, to the Geneviève McMillan and Reba Stewart Foundation, Cambridge; 2009, gift of the Geneviève McMillan and Reba Stewart Foundation to the MFA. (Accession Date: June 17, 2009)
