Punu mask from the Gabonese Republic, of the Lumbu ethnic group. They are called "white masks of the Ogooué Valley tribes" because most of them are covered with sacred kaolin.
Being matrilineal, this type of mask reveals the grace and power of the Lumbu woman for embodying the highest ideals of feminine charm: a small, slightly open, red mouth, prominent cheekbones, slanted eyes, a refined nose and an artistic hairstyle with a or two crests, invariably tinged with black. Representing the female ancestor, the Okuyi male secret society performs mourning ceremonies and dances, divination, crime investigation and judicial intervention, the birth of twins, initiation of the young, and also welcomes high-ranking persons after a long absence. . To dance this mask, they climb on high wooden stilts on which they perform agile acrobatic pirouettes while gesturing threateningly in search of sorcerers and adulterous women in the crowd.
Louis Perrois, a specialist in this field, has carried out a meticulous study on a large corpus of these masks to conclude that the specimen we are presenting differs morphologically from the usual archetype due to the voluminous hairstyle divided into two braids and the absence of a tribal tattoo, and attributes the small number of known specimens of this type (see photo) to the custom of hiding from the eyes of Europeans those sacred objects that participate in the secret rituals of initiation. 15" x 8"
This lot requires export license
DECORATIVE ARTS
Starting price
1.200 €
HAMMER PRICE
1.200 €
duran-app.lot.title_phone_bid
Phone 1:
Phone 2:
Comments:Confirm your maximum bid
At the time of auction we will contact you by phone:
Confirm your maximum bid
Loading…
Conecting with the server
Are you sure you want to buy the lot?
Durán Sala de Arte 2024
Confirm your maximum bid
Bizum