Magnificant old Mwana Pwo (beautiful young girl) mask of the Chokwe people living in Congo, DRC & Angola.
Ex collection of Jacques Chaboto, a well-known collector in Kinshasa - Africa.
Now in my personal Belgium collection.

Material: Wood, beads, metal, raffia, textile, vegetal material.

This work is an outstanding example of Pwo, a classic Chokwe mask genre that honors founding female ancestors. Pwo's joint performance with her male counterpart, Cihongo, brings fertility and prosperity to a community.

Traditional scarifications on the forehead and cheeks, classic graphic designs that aesthetically enhanced a woman's beauty in past generaties and were signs of ethnic identity. A wooden stick through the nose. Filed teeth. Earrings.

INDIGENOUS OBJECT NAME : Mwana Pwo mask
ETHNIC GROUP/ CULTURE: Chokwe
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: DR Congo
PERIOD: Mid 20th Century
MATERIAL: Wood
SOLD WITH STAND: No
CONDITION: Very nice used condition
HEIGHT: 20 cm
WIDTH: 15 cm
DEPTH: 10 cm
WEIGHT: 1350 g
PROVENANCE - Private Collection

References :
Christies : CHOKWE MASK , ANGOLA | Christie's (christies.com) Estimate 40.000 - 60.000 € - 11 Mei 2022