mask
- Museum number
- Af1979,01.2397
- Description
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Face-shaped mask made of wood and monkey skin, with a fibre fringe or 'beard' of raffia, and three fur horns.
- Production date
- 1908 (circa)
- Dimensions
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Height: 141 centimetres
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Width: 46 centimetres
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Depth: 36 centimetres
- Curator's comments
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John Mack, ‘Emil Torday and the art of the Congo’, p.63:
‘The received wisdom on the Tetela may be derived from the from the least, not the most typical source. Take, for example, the mask [this mask] collected by Torday which is often pointed to a characteristically Tetela. As such it was published by W B Fagg, an evocation of the view that art styles are as definitive an index of ethnic identity as any other cultural feature. And the same opinion is implied by Felix who includes the mask as one of several Tetela types. Both authors certainly acknowledge the Tetela-Sungu source of the piece as part of the provenance. The mask is one of two that Torday collected in a closely similar, if not entirely identical style. It was thought so impressive that it was immediately placed on exhibition when received in the British Museum, thus escaping the usual registration procedures. The authority, however for treating it as Sungu is unassailable - it comes ultimately from Torday and Joyce who included it in their ethnographical account. The second mask however was collected at Batempa among the Songye and has been published as such by Torday and Joyce – though Felix has been misled into attributing it too to the Tetela. This strongly suggests that the associations of Sungu art - even though it is presented as prototypically Tetela – are to be sought among the peoples of the upper Sankuru, not among the Tetela to the north. Indeed, the northern Tetela do not seem to have masking traditions at all.
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Mask carvers of Africa have developed many kinds of imaginative spirits in various materials such as wood, skins, cloth, beads, fibre and metal which are combined in a number of ways. The selection of media often has local significance, thus enhancing the visual symbolism of the mask and costume.
This wooden mask has a fibre fringe or 'beard' and three fur horns. It was worn by the wichi or ritual specialist, and would have been put on and removed in complete secrecy. Its precise function is not known, but it may have been to discourage unruly behaviour. It was associated with the bwadi society that formerly exercised judicial powers and were present at the installation and initiation of chiefs. Its various elements are drawn from a whole range of wild creatures brought together in a single form.
T. Phillips (ed.), Africa, the art of a continent (London, Royal Academy, 1995) cat.4.53, with text by Luc de Heusch which argues that the attribution to the Tetela is based on a mistake by Torday, and is wrong, and this is instead by the Songye.
- Location
- On display (G25/dc3)
- Acquisition notes
- Collected by Emil Torday in 1908
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Af1979,01.2397
- Additional IDs
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Miscellaneous number: Af1977,Q.25 (previously registered as)