About the lot N° 178
Title : A Superb Lwalwa Shifola Mask
Size : measurements note height 12 in. 30.5 cm Provenance : Jacques Hautelet, BrusselsLee Bronson, Los Angeles, acquired from the above in the early 1970sLiterature : Joseph Cornet, A Survey of Zairian Art: The Bronson Collection, Raleigh, 1978, p. 182, cat. 98Notes : PROPERTY FROM A CALIFORNIA PRIVATE COLLECTIONThe Lwalwa, living in the western Kasai region, have a long tradition of cultural and linguistic exchange with other central African people, including the Mbagani, Salampasu, Kete, Lunda, Yaka, Suku and Kongo (Felix 1987: 94). The Lwalwa pantheon is dominated by the Supreme Being Mvidie Mukulu, and Nzambi, the first creator, who is omniscient. Lwalwa art is most famous for the powerful, highly cubistic masks of which the Bronson mask is a magnificent and exceedingly rare example. According to Felix (1987: 94), the main works of the Lwalwa are their wooden masks, there are four main types, usually painted with the red sap of the mukala fruit, occasionally blackened by smoke and or dyes. They are all used in the bangongo dance to quiet the spirits, increase hunting success, and initiate bangongo society dancers. They sometimes perform at funerals of high ranking dignitaries. They are danced only at night, so as not to harm women. Shifola, the mask type of the offered lot, is rare as is the fact that the rope that was clasped between the teeth of the performer (cf. African-American Institute 1975: 104, text to fig. 76) is still in place.Sotheby's, auctioneer, New York, US
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Sale title : African, Oceanic & Pre-Columbian Art
Sale date : 15 May 2009
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Sale Reference : Live Sale
