Details

Title

Helmet Mask

Artist/Maker

Kwese Artist, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Date

twentieth century

Medium

Wood and pigment

Dimensions

12 1/4 x 9 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches

Credit

Fred and Rita Richman Collection

Accession #

72.40.85

On View

On View - Stent Family Wing, Skyway, Gallery 403

The white paint on the face of this mask identifies it as a representative of ancestral and spiritual realms. In Kwese society, sacred masks perform at initiation ceremonies and on other occasions to promote social well-being, health, and abundance.