This large, dynamic mask depicting an elephant’s head is a part of what has been referred to as the ‘Luba Zoo’ series of animal masks. This series represented animals from the surrounding forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The elephant has a short and wrinkled trunk with large, exaggerated ears. Traces of white pigment are present on the elephant’s tusks. The rear of the mask, and holes where the raffia costume would have been attached, exhibits a worn surface.
Field collected in the early 1990's
Estimated Period: Mid-20th Century (c. 1960s Or Before)
W: 54cm