The Pende also is known as the Phende people are an ethnic group in the south-western Democratic Republic of Congo. The Pende are divided into two cultural the Eastern Pende and the Western Pende, Kwilu and Kasai respectively. Pende masks are among the most dramatic works of all African art. The Pende masks appeared in ceremonies such as millet-planting and sowing celebrations, communal hunts, circumcision and initiation ritual, and the ritual of the enthronement of a chief. They were used to honour their ancestors and to thank them for their care. There are two styles: the western one of the Kwilu with its Mbuya mask characterized by a Somber, gloomy expression, and the Kasai style that is more geometric and colourful. Kasai masks are decorated with red and black triangles on a sienna background. The Minganji, or masks of power, represent the ancestors; the Mbuya, or village masks, represent human types, such as the chief, the diviner, the epileptic with a twisted mouth, the madman or man in a trance, the widow, the lover, or the executioner. It has a red patina and is worn out with age but still in good condition.
- Material: Wood and Fibre
- Condition: Good
- Age:approx 50-60yrs
- Origin: Democratic Republic of Congo
- SKU: LMSK-041
- Weight: 0.5 kg
- Dimensions: 18 x 24 x 10 cm