600€ (Including Tax)
An African Punu mask
Ritual mask of the Punu tribe from Gabon, located on the west coast of Africa.
The Punu are one of the Bantu-speaking groups living in southwestern Gabon, particularly around the Ngounie and Nyanga rivers.
These masks often depict a female face, with delicate features, symmetrical elements, and carefully styled hair that reflects local beauty standards. The closed or half-closed eyes, with an Asiatic gaze, suggest calmness, respect, and inner wisdom, evoking a state of meditation or transition.
The white face, often painted with kaolin, a type of white clay, symbolizes the spiritual realm, purity, and the spirit of ideal ancestors who protect the community.
The nine diamonds arranged in a rhomboid pattern on the forehead represent the nine ancestral clans from which the Punu originate, serving as a symbol of unity embodied in a spiritual figure that encompasses them all.
These masks are used in dance rituals, often performed on high platforms or stilts, and are typically associated with purification or social renewal, honoring the ancestors, spiritual balance, and guidance during rites of passage—such as the transition from childhood to adulthood—as well as the peaceful passage into death, protecting the living from the turmoil of mourning.
Early 20th century
Dimensions: 34x20x18 cm
Condition: Very good, with natural wear from use.
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