FAQ
Moshambwooy Mask. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kuba artist, late 19th or early 20th century. Bark cloth, leather, pigment, shell, hair, beads, fabric, 19 5/16 x 14 9/16 in. (49 x 37 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1922, Robert B. Woodward Fund, 22.1582
Among the Kuba, masks are thought to be reflections of nature-spirits (mingesh) that act as intermediaries between the Supreme Being (Nyeem) and the world of mortals. There are more than twenty different types of masks that function within the men's initiation society. Moshambwooy is one of the three most important and represents Woot, the founding hero from whom the Kuba believe themselves to be descended.
Moshambwooy masks are worn by the nyimi, or king, of the Kuba or by chiefs in villages. The nyimi's mask is usually made of leopard skin, while those of chiefs are made of antelope skin. The face of this mask is probably antelope skin painted with a design to look like leopard's fur. The nose and ears are carved of wood, and the white beard of fur from the chest of a sheep represents the beard of an old man.
Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum