Bwami Society Maskette / Artist Unknown, African, Lega Peoples Democratic Republic of the Congo
Viewer
About this Item
Record Details
- Accession Number
- 1985/1.151
- Title
- Bwami Society Maskette
- Artist Nationality
- Congolese
- Medium and Support
- wood, kaolin
- Object Creation Date
- 1900-1975
- Object Creation Place
- Africa (continent)
- Congo, Democratic Republic of the (nation)
- Creation Place 1
- Africa (continent)
- Creation Place 2
- Congo, Democratic Republic of the (nation)
- Dimensions
- 19.5 cm x 15.7 cm x 6.3 cm (7 11/16 in. x 6 3/16 in. x 2 1/2 in.)
- Century
- 20th century
- Primary Object Classification
- Costume and Costume Accessory
- Primary Object Type
- mask
- Physical Description
- Concave, ovoid maskette with kaolin covering surface of surface of face. Minimal rendering of facial features: raised, tapered wood strip for nose; narrow, oviod, horizontal eyes; open, ovoid mouth with some striation around interior edge.
- Subject Matter
- This maskette was used in initiation ceremonies associated with bwami, a ranked initiation society open to all Lega men and women. Bwami was the core of Lega identity. Its moral and philosophical precepts permeated all aspects of social and political life. Maskettes were emblems of an individual's rank in the bwami society. They were also used to aid in the instruction of bwami ideas and values. The meaning of individual maskettes were context specific and could change over time.
- Secondary Keywords
- associated concepts
- ceremonies
- cultural ceremonies
- events
- objects we use
- people and culture
- rites of passage
- sculpture
- sculpture by form
- sculpture by material
- social science concepts
- social status
- sociological concepts
- visual works
- visual works by medium or technique
- Rights
- If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/about/services/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Technical Details
- Collection
- University of Michigan Museum of Art
- Image Size
- 791 x 1043
- File Size
- 51 KB
- Record
- 1985/1.151
- Link to this Item
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1985-sl-1.151/1985_1.151.jpg
Rights and Permissions
Related Links
Portfolios
IIIF
- Manifest
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:1985-SL-1.151:1985_1.151.JPG
Cite this Item
View the Help Guide for more information.
- Full citation
-
"Bwami Society Maskette; Artist Unknown, African, Lega Peoples Democratic Republic of the Congo." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1985-sl-1.151/1985_1.151.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 02, 2024.