The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 25, 2024

Mask (hemba)

Mask (hemba)

late 1800s–early 1900s
Wood, reed, paint, and metal
Overall: 50 x 25 x 27.2 cm (19 11/16 x 9 13/16 x 10 11/16 in.)
René and Odette Delenne Collection, Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund 2010.450
Location: not on view

Did You Know?

Suku helmet masks are often used in initiation ceremonies for young men in the society.

Description

Suku helmet masks are often used in initiation ceremonies for young men in the society. Helmet masks such as this represent images of deceased elders in the society. They are to ensure successful hunting, help cure illnesses, and protect its wearer from evil. The animal shaped like a gazelle or antelope is typically associated with folktales, proverbs, and personal hunting exploits.
  • ?-1968
    C. Prévost [?-1994], before 1965-1968, sold to Marcel Dumoulin
    ?-1968
    Marcel Dumoulin, Brussels, Belgium, 1965-1968, sold to René and Odette Delenne
    1968-2010
    René [1901-1998] and Odette Delenne [1925-2012], Brussels, Belgium, 2010, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    2010
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH, 2010
  • Bastin, Marie-Louise, et al. Utotombo. L'Art d'Afrique noire dans les collections privées belges: Société des Expositions du Palais des Beaux-Arts, Bruxelles, 25 mars-5 juin 1988, 99. Exh. Cat. Brussels: Société des Expositions du Palais des Beaux-Arts, March 25-June 5, 1988. Reproduced: p. 99, cat. XXXI
    Petridis, Constantine. "René and Odette Delenne." In Tribal Art XV-4, no. 61 (Autumn 2011): 121. Reproduced: p. 121, fig. 7
    Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland Art: The Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine. Vol. 53 no. 05, September/October 2013 Mentioned & reproduced: p. 3 archive.org
    Petridis, Constantine, et al. Fragments of the Invisible: The René and Odette Delenne Collection of Congo Sculpture. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art. Milan: 5 Continents Editions, 2013, 19, 24, 29, 44, 120. Reproduced: pp. 63, 120; mentioned: p. 113-114, cat. 23
    "In Case You Missed It: Fragments of the Invisible." The International Review of African American Art 25, no. 1 (2014): 10-11. Reproduced: p. 10.
  • Fragments of the Invisible: The Rene and Odette Delenne Collection of Congo Sculpture. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 27, 2013-February 9, 2014).
    Société des Expositions du Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, Belgium (March 25 – June 5, 1988)
  • {{cite web|title=Mask (hemba)|url=false|author=|year=late 1800s–early 1900s|access-date=25 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2010.450