Carved wood pierced Mosquito Mask with paintwork on the front – Lwalwa / Lulua people of the southern Democratic Republic of Congo
 
This mask is one of the rarest forms of the Lwalwa or Lulua people, one of the Congo's most understudied social groups. It is an incredible piece, based around a tall, domed head with straight sides. The face is dominated by very large eyes, each of which is blind but pierced with numerous tiny holes, lending a vaguely insect-like appearance. The nose is short and snubbed, the mouth in the coffee-bean format.
 
Size 13" x 8" x 4.3"
Weight: 2lbs

The Lulua (or Bena-Lulua) are a small, caste-based tribal group living in the Southern Congo, where they migrated in the 18th century
Condition is solid with no woodworm or damage and only minor flaking of original paint on the face
 
From a Dutch 19th c – early 20th century collection