Chokwe Mwana Pwo mask - Chokwe - DR Congo (No reserve price)

Chokwe Mwana Pwo mask Origin: Sud-Bandundu (Democratic Republic of the Congo) Wood with a satin patina, wine-colour hue. Headdress elaborated in plant fibers. Cauris, bamboo sticks, wooden beads, small wooden cubes, etc. adorn the headdress Signs of use. Copper rings, trade beads, a coin from the "Banque Nationale du Congo" adorning the forehead, Teeth filed down. Estimated age: before 1970 Used in the Mukanda initiation ritual The almond-shaped, half-closed eyes express a deep meditation in relation to the spirits of the ancestors This mask was worn on the top of the head by a male dancer who looked through a 'sock' fixed to the back of the mask (present here but heavily deteriorated by use). Its costume consisted of a raffia knit ensemble with long sleeves and tights. A cotton skirt followed the dancer’s movements. He shook rattles to punctuate his dance. Overall good condition. Beautiful expression. The large concave orbits highlight the almond-shaped eyes with half-closed eyelids finely stretched, giving the gaze a profound inner quality.

Estimate:£272.08

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