Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chokwe people, ca. mid-20th century CE. A fascinating, hand-carved wooden mask, displaying a face with squinting, deepset eyes, a thin nose, large eyebrows, and a slightly opened mouth full of jagged teeth. Extensive cicatrices are on the face - on the cheeks, chin, temples, and center of the forehead - indicating a tradition of ritual scarification. The top of the head has three crests, perhaps representing an elaborate coiffure. Woven and twisted fibers are sewn around the edges of the mask and hang low below the mask itself. Comes with custom stand. Size of mask without fibers: 3.5" L x 4.75" W x 7.5" H (8.9 cm x 12.1 cm x 19 cm); height on stand: 18.25" (46.4 cm)

This mask may symbolize the figure of Mwana Pwo, an archetypal female ancestor, socially significant particularly because the Chokwe trace their ancestry through their mother's 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 remind of the end of the relationship between mother and son, as the son has now become a man.

Provenance: collection of the late Allen Davis, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

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#124870

Light surface wear on the higher profile areas, with some patina from handling. Fibers are in very good condition, with slight fraying to a few.