Large midcentury African, Songye shield with Kifwebe mask DR Congo, 1950s

Songye shield with a carved kifwebe mask in relief, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The elongated oval board is carved from a single piece of wood, with a waisted profile and a centrally placed hand grip on the reverse. The raised face relates to the kifwebe masks of the Songye people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The front is decorated with bold diamond lozenges, some filled with fine crosshatched carving and others with ochre, white and pale yellow pigment, set against a field of soft terracotta red. At the centre sits the kifwebe face with its characteristic horizontal striations, bold vertical nasal crest, slit eyes and rectangular mouth. The pigments are applied in a chalky, matte manner with natural wear and areas of rubbed pigment along the edges. The back shows a dark, worn patina, and the carved handle has a smooth, polished surface from handling. A small brass screw eye has been added at the top so the shield can be hung on the wall. Materials: wood, pigments, brass. Dimensions: height 106 cm, width 36 cm, depth 10 cm. Condition: good, honest condition consistent with age and use. There is a small old repair, mainly visible from the back near the top. Wear to the pigments, light surface marks, and some small age cracks and losses along the edges. The brass hanging screw is a later addition.