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Mask (munyangi or kindjinga)
✓ Authenticity guarantee · ✓ Specialist condition report · ✓ Insured worldwide shipping · ✓ Private-room viewing
Carved by Kiyova of Luaya-Ndambo, this is an iconic example of a central African mask. With bold sculpted lines, abstracted facial features, and vivid red and white pigment framed by fur and fiber, this mask was likely not danced. This does not make it “inauthentic”; to the contrary, the best masks were often diverted directly to the market where they could be sold to Pende or foreign consumers. Pende mask makers—and their audiences—craved innovation, leading artists to constantly create new mask genres and retire passé models.
| Artist / Maker | Anonymous, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
|---|---|
| Date | before 1958 |
| Culture / Origin | Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Pende style |
| Medium | wood, pigment, fabric, fiber, ram's hair |
| Dimensions | 25 x 20 x 25 cm (9 13/16 x 7 7/8 x 9 13/16 in.) |
| Department | African Art |
| Type | Mask |
About the Artist
Kiyova of Luaya Ndambo, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Pende people) Full biography →
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
A detailed condition report and high-resolution photography are available from our specialists in advance of the sale.
Shipping & Collection
Fine-art shipping with climate control and full insurance to over 120 countries; collection by appointment.
Buying at Matchless Pieces
Register, verify your identity, and bid online or in a private room. Buyer’s premium and taxes are shown before you confirm.
