This is the rating and price for Chokwe Mwana Pwo Wood Mask, 1965

Description : Central Africa, Angola, Zambia, and Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chokwe peoples, ca. 1920s CE. A fine example of a hand-carved wooden face mask known as a Mwana Pwo with stylized physiognomy and a coiffure formed from woven raffia strands over a burlap-like textile. The intricate visage presents with bulging ovoid eyes that are slit at the midline and surrounded by bas relief brows, a naturalistic protruding nose with openwork nostrils, cup-shaped ears with conical protuberances before each one, an open mouth presenting upper and lower sharp teeth, beautiful incised scarification marks adorning the forehead and cheeks, and a dramatically narrow neck that is finely carved with multiple rings. Finally, perforations lining the visage were probably intended for further ornamentation or securing to a costume, and at the lower end of the neck, a metal ring is attached via a perforation. A mesmerizing example! Size: 7.375 L x 7.375 W x 15.5 H (18.7 cm x 18.7 cm x 39.4 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 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. Cf. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 2003.288a, b Provenance: private Englewood, Colorado USA collection, ex-Martin Boxer collection, ex-Komer Gallery, New York City, New York USA circa 1965 All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #160621
Price: 560.25 USD It's free to register now to view!
Estimate (low-high) : 800 USD-1200 USD It's free to register now to view!

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