An Important Suku Mask, Democratic Republic of the Congo

kakungu, of deep hollowed form, the elongated oval face with semispherical chin and cheeks, the small cylindrical mouth below the straight narrow nose with flaring nostrils, bisecting the drooping eyes surmounted by a domed forehead, with raffia attached to the rim; fine varied brown patina with red and dark brown pigment and areas of encrustation.

Collected in situ by Hans Himmelheber, before 1939
Pierre Loos, Brussels
Jacques Hautelet, Brussels
Joel Cooner, Dallas

Cairo, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Damascus and Beirut, Art Colonial Belge, 1944 (reportedly)
Iowa City, The University of Iowa Museum of Art, Kilengi: African Art from the Bareiss Family Collection, March 27 - May 23, 1999 (for additional venues see bibliography, Roy 1997)

Hans Himmelheber, "Les masques Bayaka et leurs sculpteurs," Revue Brousse, No. 1, 1939, p. 26, fig. 7
François Neyt, Art traditional et Histoire au Zaïre: Cultures Forestières et Royaumes de la Savane, Louvain, 1981, p. 121, fig. VI.9
Christopher D. Roy, Kilengi: African Art from the Bareiss Family Collection, Seattle, 1997, p. 212 and 373-374, fig. 127
--, Kilengi. Afrikanische Kunst aus der Sammlung Bareiss, Hanover, 1997, pp. 216 and 378, fig. 127

excellent condition overall for an object of this age and rarity; small holes throughout (insect damage), rim on bottom of mask and reverse of top partially eroded; raffia fibers dry and fragile; exceptionally fine varied brown patina with red and dark brown pigment and areas of encrustation.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

According to Roy (1997: 373-374, text to fig. 127) "this impressive mask was collected before 1939 by Hans Himmelheber and illustrated in an article in Revue Brousse in that year. Himmelheber wrote [Himmelheber 1939: 33]: The "kakungu" is kept in the "nkanda" in a special house. I was told that the mask is shown to the "tundansi" [initiates] on the day of their circumcision, to inspire them to become men as strong as the gigantic figure with powerful cheeks. I was told the 'kakungu' was imported from BaNkanu, western neighbors of the Yaka, who are specialists in large masks. One day the Kiamfu, king of the Bayaka, forbade holding the 'nkanda' far from the village because there had been too many accidents when 'tundansi' were eaten by wild animals. They were to hold the 'nkanda' closer to the village, but they did not want to keep the 'kakungu' in the camp, because they feared that the presence of this dangerous object so close to the village would make all the women infertile. Arthur Bourgeois has done extensive research on kakungu and other nkanda masks among the Suku and the Yaka. He quotes Mfumu (chief) Ngombe Ke Tube, of the Ngombe Suku on July 14, 1976: [...] The 'kisidika' [ritual specialists of 'makhanda'] wears the jakungu in order to scare sorcerers who would dare to do harm to the young candidates of cicumcision. As Bourgeois points out, this kakungu [the present lot] is exceptional among the known examples for its superb carving, symmetrical rendering of carved features and visual balance between chin and forehead... [It] stands alone as a visual masterpiece of African art."