Early 20th C. Chokwe Wood, Raffia & Textile Pwo Mask

Central Africa, Angola or the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chokwe peoples, ca. early 20th century CE. A hand-carved wooden mask displaying an interesting female face with squinting slit-form eyes beneath arching brows, a slender nose, a narrow mouth atop a dramatically-tapered chin, and pierced ears boasting metal hoops, all beneath a tall forehead bearing impressed scarification marks in a diamond motif. Additional scarification impressions adorn the cheeks, and small striations embellish the bridge of the nose. A strip of red textile displays cowrie shell ornamentation and a strand of cobalt-blue beads, with a wig of woven raffia projecting from the verso, and a woven textile cover draped in front of the neck. Size: 14" W x 13" H (35.6 cm x 33 cm); 15.4" H (39.1 cm) on included custom stand. This mask may symbolize the figure of Mwana Pwo, an archetypal female ancestor, socially significant particularly because the Chokwe trace their ancestry through their maternal lines. The scars on the face are an indicator of beauty as well as ethnic identity. Masks from this culture are often used at initiation rites to welcome people into the adult world, and masks of Mwana Pwo are meant to symbolize the end of the relationship between mother and son, as the son has now become a man. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. Item # 127086

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