Songye Female Moon Mask
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A Western Songye kifwebe mask, Democratic Republic of the Congo. This female kifwebe mask is carved from a single piece of wood with heavy linear incisions. Female masks are associated with the moon and are worn for moon rituals as well as during funerals and initiation rites. The mask has wide rectangular slit-shaped eyes, a jutting triangular nose, and a protruding trapezoidal mouth. There are traces of kaolin pigment within some of the inset grooves, indicating the original colouring of the mask. Wear and losses to the wood from heavy handling implies age. On custom wooden stand. Mask height 27 cm, width 17 cm, depth 13 cm, on stand height 45 cm. Provenance: Lim-Strutt collection, Aotearoa
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- Kaolin - Kaolin, also known as china clay, is a white clay mineral that is commonly used in the production of ceramics, paper, paint, and other products. It is composed primarily of the mineral kaolinite, which is a hydrated aluminum silicate. Kaolin is found in many parts of the world, but it is particularly abundant in the southeastern United States, where it is commonly mined. The mineral is formed by the weathering of rocks that contain aluminum silicates, such as feldspar and mica.
The resulting clay is often mixed with other minerals and materials to produce products with specific properties, such as strength, translucency, and whiteness. In the production of ceramics, kaolin is used to make porcelain, which is known for its strength, translucency, and whiteness.
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