35 - Rank mask

Rank mask with a heart-shaped face Light wood, traces of kaolin, antique patina, signs of wear and age, a few minor chips. Lega, Democratic Republic of the Congo. 27.5 x 16.5 cm Among the Lega people, social, moral, and artistic life revolves around the bwami, an initiatory society organized into five hierarchical ranks, the highest of which—yananio and kindi—hold the most prestigious objects. Each initiation ceremony involves rites lasting several days, during which proverbs, songs, and objects impart moral teachings to the initiates. Wooden masks bleached with kaolin are among the most important insignia: rarely worn on the face, they are held in the hand, tied to the arm, or lined up on a palisade during ceremonies, and symbolize the group’s ancestors. This mask stands out for the simplicity of its forms. A frieze of engraved dots outlines the center of the face, where only a slender nose tapering to an arrowhead tip is visible. This reduction of the face to a few essential features gives the mask a striking modernity. General Bibliography: Daniel P. Biebuyck, *Lega Culture: Art, Initiation, and Moral Philosophy among a Central African People*, Berkeley and Los Angeles, University of California Press, 1973.