{"product_id":"kuba-lele-bashilele-helmet-mask-congo-157002","title":"Kuba-Lele (Bashilele) Helmet Mask Congo","description":"\u003col\u003e\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKuba-Lele (Bashilele) helmet mask, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 20th century. An impressive and highly decorated ceremonial mask featuring a carved wooden face surrounded by an elaborate helmet-like headdress.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mask is extensively ornamented with raffia fiber, cowrie shells, woven textile, and colorful glass beadwork in geometric patterns of red, white, black, and blue. The abundant raffia creates a dramatic surrounding fringe, while the cowries and beadwork add considerable visual richness to the headdress.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe carved face has a broad, relatively flattened form with gently modeled features, narrow eyes, a long nose, and a small, subtly smiling mouth. The combination of the wooden face with the highly elaborate fiber, shell, and bead-covered superstructure is characteristic of the Lele (Bashilele) masking tradition within the broader Kuba cultural sphere.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA striking example of traditional Central African ceremonial art, with excellent decorative complexity and a particularly impressive arrangement of raffia, cowries, and beadwork.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eHeight (in): \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e16.0\u003cbr\u003eWidth (in): 15.0\u003cbr\u003eDepth (in): 11.0\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e157002\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"sku 157000","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51988919714087,"sku":"157002","price":285.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0826\/1015\/9911\/files\/IMG_9729_1ce87819-e1fd-43cc-b6b7-f8c0ff2b8241.jpg?v=1788452043","url":"https:\/\/africadirect.com\/products\/kuba-lele-bashilele-helmet-mask-congo-157002","provider":"Africa Direct","version":"1.0","type":"link"}