Lot A46 - Female Chokwe mask

Female mask (Pwo type)

Chokwe (Tchokwe), Angola / Democratic Republic of Congo

Wood, wooden beads, fiber. Wooden mask height: 22 cm.

A finely carved female mask with a high rounded forehead and delicately modeled facial features. The half-closed almond-shaped eyes sit beneath gently arched brows; the nose is slender and straight, and the mouth is slightly open, revealing a row of individually carved teeth. Scarification motifs appear on the cheeks and temples, and a geometric emblem is incised at the center of the forehead.

The coiffure is composed of numerous suspended cylindrical wooden beads attached around the perimeter, forming a dense, cascading hairstyle. A braided fiber band secures the bead elements to the head. Beneath the chin remains a network of fiber attachments from the original costume assembly.

The surface shows a deep brown patina with areas of wear and handling, consistent with age and use.

Condition: age-related wear, minor abrasions, and expected movement and irregularity in bead elements; structurally sound.