Ngbaka Mask, Democratic Republic of the Congo #220

Ngbaka Mask, Democratic Republic of the Congo #220 Measurements:  21×17×5.5 cm Condition: Excellent Provenance: Private collection, UK The face has a small, rectangular mouth and broad cheeks. This mask, with a deep square interior, bears strong resemblance to Ngbaka masks featured on on Guy van Rijn’s website: object numbers 0036279, 0036280 and 0036283. Though the Ubangi River region of Central Africa is a little-studied area, it is believed that such masks were used in initiation rituals. According to the National Museum of African Art – Smithsonian Institution, “Identification of art objects with specific peoples in the Ubangi River region is difficult – in part because of trade and migration among the peoples themselves and also because collectors tended to concentrate on peoples who lived along the river (and were therefore more accessible), and often collecting activities were not documented. Many masks from this area are attributed to the Ngbaka, especially those with an in