Lega Bearded Bwami Society Mask Congo

The Lega Bearded Bwami Society Mask hails from the Lega people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, renowned for their intricate ceremonial traditions. This mask, distinguished by its bearded visage and symbolic embellishments, holds profound significance within the Bwami society, a central institution governing Lega social, moral, and spiritual life. Carved from wood and adorned with beads, shells, and other materials, the mask represents esteemed ideals and virtues upheld by the society, such as wisdom, authority, and communal harmony. Through elaborate rituals and performances, the Lega utilize these masks to impart teachings, reinforce social bonds, and instill moral values among initiates and community members. Each mask is imbued with cultural symbolism and spiritual potency, embodying the collective wisdom and cultural legacy of the Lega people.

Provenance: Robert Pearson Collection

Bob Pearson began collecting African art later in his life. He was an engineer, inveterate climber, and long-time collector of books and paintings. Spurred by the Douglas Society at the Denver Museum of Art, and his friendship with noted collector George Heggarty, he began building an enormous, eclectic collection. His African art library grew to several hundred books. He loved textiles and “material culture”-things that had domestic use, like spoons, cups, stools, and chairs, as well as masks and carvings. His collection included items from more than thirty African countries, and his fine eye gave him pieces ranging from a gold dust scale to huge Dogon figural ladders. Africa Direct is honored to have been chosen to sell them.

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