Carved wood, pigments
Early 20th century
Height: 31 cm
Ex Sotheby’s London, November 28, 1983 lot 45
Thence in a private collection, California
Photo : © Galerie Flak

Lwalwa (or Lwalu) art is most famous for the powerful, highly Cubistic masks of which this mask is a magnificent example with perfect proportion and elegant lines. While the nose-profile refers to the long beak of the calao bird, the characteristic protrusions on the temples represent skin decoration. According to Ceyssens (in Tervuren, 1995, p. 328), above and beyond their pure geometric lines, Lwalwa masks are a beautiful embodiment of the balance between the human and animal realms, their elaborate formal structure playing on a subtle balance between the tension of the concave planes, the starkness of the lines and the fullness of the volumes. Lwalwa face masks were used for boys' rites of passage within the ngango institutions. They were also involved in hunting rituals to appease the spirits and seek their blessings.  Since they were brought to light in the 1930s, Lwalwa masks have been praised by collectors and artists for their novel form, reminiscent of abstract and Cubist art.