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Mask (hemba)
late 1800s-early 1900s
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland, United States
Suku helmet masks are often used in initiation ceremonies for young men in the society. Helmet masks such as this represent images of deceased elders in the society. They are to ensure successful hunting, help cure illnesses, and protect its wearer from evil. The animal shaped like a gazelle or antelope is typically associated with folktales, proverbs, and personal hunting exploits.
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Details
- Title: Mask (hemba)
- Date Created: late 1800s-early 1900s
- Physical Dimensions: Overall: 50 x 25 x 27.2 cm (19 11/16 x 9 13/16 x 10 11/16 in.)
- Provenance: C. Prévost [?-1994], before 1965-1968, sold to Marcel Dumoulin, Marcel Dumoulin, Brussels, Belgium, 1965-1968, sold to René and Odette Delenne, René [1901-1998] and Odette Delenne [1925-2012], Brussels, Belgium, 2010, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH, 2010
- Type: Mask
- Rights: CC0
- External Link: https://clevelandart.org/art/2010.450
- Medium: Wood, reed, paint, and metal
- Fun Fact: Suku helmet masks are often used in initiation ceremonies for young men in the society.
- Department: African Art
- Culture: Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Suku carver
- Credit Line: René and Odette Delenne Collection, Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund
- Collection: African Art
- Accession Number: 2010.450
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