Always worn by senior initiates, these African masks embodying a female ancestor were often decked out with buttons and accessories of European origin. This old copy, however, does not have its braided headdress. Lacks and abrasions. Heterogeneous velvety patina, residues of kaolin and red ocher. Peacefully settled in eastern Angola until the 16th century, the Chokwé were then subjected to the Lunda empire from which they inherited a new hierarchical system and the sacredness of power. African Chokwe pwo masks, among the many akishi (sing: mukishi (singing: mukishi , indicating power) masks of African art Chokwe, embody an ideal of beauty, Mwana Pwo , or the Pwo woman and appear in festive ceremonies these days. Joined to their male counterparts, chihongo recognizable by their large tray-shaped headdress, the pwo are believed to bring fertility and prosperity to the community. The cultural logic of these two icons, developed during the pre-colonial period, continues to inspire artists from northeastern Angola to this day. The characteristic patterns on the forehead, and sometimes on the cheekbones, are part of the aesthetic chokwe canons but also served as public markers of ethnic identity. The recurring cruciform frontal motif would also have a cosmogonic significance. (source: Chokwe, B. Wastiau)
390.00 € Possibility of payment in2x (2x 195.0 €) This item is sold with its certificate of authenticity
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