241155 - Extremly rare old African Lele mask - Congo

€245.00

Extremely Rare Old African LELE mask, Congo.
Size are 32 cm high.
This Lele mask dated from the mid 20th century and comes with a certificate of authenticity.

Very beautiful face mask of the Lele ethnic group, neighbors of the Kuba in Congo DRC
Wood reinforced with copper plate at the nose, eyes and mouth. Monumental headdress made of vegetable fibers. Very beautiful specimen.

Collected in the 1950s by the Belgian collector A.S. director of the sugar company Kwilu Ngongo
By inheritance in the family until 2023

The Lele (or Leele), also known as Bashilele or Usilele, are a Bantu ethnic group closely related to the Kuba people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They traditionally live in the Kasai River region, but since the 1950s many have migrated to Kinshasa. There are currently about 30,000 Lele, of which 26,000 speak the Lele language.