Teke Tsaye Kidumu mask
Polychromy in African art
Discoidal African mask decorated with traditional symbolic motifs in polychrome wood.
Famous in African tribal art, the Bateke made easily recognizable circular masks.
The Kidumu society is a political and religious institution created more or less 150 years ago on the occasion of the split of the Tsaye from the parent ethnic group. The Kidumu patronizes the great events of social life: circumcision, marriage or death of chiefs, alliances and judgments.
Few ancient Teke masks are known. Raoul Lehuard draws up an inventory of them in his book 'Les Arts Bateke', AAN, 1996. Of course, he reproduces the mask from the former Derain collection, now in the Barbier-Mueller collection, and especially the mask from the Stockholm Museum collected around 1910-1919; the latter is the mask that comes closest to that of the Bottet collection, their decorations and their manufacturing techniques seem very close in style and period.
Nowadays, Tsaye masks are still carved and worn during dances. However, these festivities are now more folk than ritual.
01892
Data sheet
- Presumed dating
- Circa 1960
- Size
- 28 cm
- Ethnic group
- Material(s)
- Wood
- Country
- Origin
- Tribal Art Collection Netherlands
- Condition
- Excellent
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Polychromy in African art
Discoidal African mask decorated with traditional symbolic motifs in polychrome wood.
Famous in African tribal art, the Bateke made easily recognizable circular masks.
The Kidumu society is a political and religious institution created more or less 150 years ago on the occasion of the split of the Tsaye from the parent ethnic group. The Kidumu patronizes the great events of social life: circumcision, marriage or death of chiefs, alliances and judgments.
Few ancient Teke masks are known. Raoul Lehuard draws up an inventory of them in his book 'Les Arts Bateke', AAN, 1996. Of course, he reproduces the mask from the former Derain collection, now in the Barbier-Mueller collection, and especially the mask from the Stockholm Museum collected around 1910-1919; the latter is the mask that comes closest to that of the Bottet collection, their decorations and their manufacturing techniques seem very close in style and period.
Nowadays, Tsaye masks are still carved and worn during dances. However, these festivities are now more folk than ritual.