Advanced Search

K-12 Educator
K-12 Student
Museum Visitor
UMMA Docent
UMMA Staff
University Faculty
University Student
Between and Mortarboard

UMMA Object Specific Fields




Query builder

How to Use the Query Builder

1 UMMA Object
Sort by

This western Luba <em>kifwebe</em> (plural, <em>bifwebe</em>), a striated mask with parallel grooves, has a rectangular, box-like form. A dense raffia fiber beard has been tightly bound around the carved wooden face. The mask was crowned by a black and white cock feather headdress (now lost due to damage) that perfectly matched the black and white striations. The vertical and arching lines suggest the mask derives from the Manono region, yet the black and white coloring indicates it originates further northwest in the Kabalo area. Moreover, the mask possesses many stylistic features of Songye <em>bifwebe</em> including the stylization of the eyes, mouth, and saggital crest; however, this mask’s cubic shape makes it markedly different from Songye ones. Here, the mouth protrudes with square, pursed lips, the eyes appear as horizontal slits with slightly overhanging eyebrows, the crest extends from the forehead eventually forming the nose, and the chin is flat and wide. Faint traces of white clay (kaolin) appear
Luba (Luba (culture or style))
Mask
1935 – 1945
Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern
2005/1.219
Loading…