Congolese Wood Mask

Eleven and a half inches of face. No body, no costume, no drumming. Just the mask, waiting for someone to bring it to life.

In the Republic of Congo, masks like this one appeared in initiation and ceremony, drawing spirits and ancestors into the present. This 20th-century example is spare and direct. A tall oval, a domed forehead, a straight brow, round pierced eyes, a squared nose. The mouth is a narrow open slit. Small rounded ears stand out at the sides.

The wood is dark and finely textured, lighter where hands and years have worn it. Hang it at eye level. Expect to be looked back at.