Punu mask - Punu (ou Bapounou) - Gabon

Origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Tribe name: Bapunou
Material: Wood
Dimension: 30 cm
Shipping method: Colissimo within 24-48h. Open.

Punu mask, traditionally originating from Gabon.

The mask adopts a classic oval shape with a face of serene features. The eyes are almond-shaped, half-closed, which gives the face a peaceful expression, often associated with the ideal of feminine beauty among the Punu.
Hair: The hairstyle is very elaborate, composed of lobes or striped crests that rise to the top of the head, typical of the okuyi or mukudj style used during ritual ceremonies.
There is an alternation of natural wood tones, highlights of pigments (probably kaolin or a light substance on the face) and areas tinted in red or dark brown, notably at the lips, ears, and the base of the coiffure.
Style: This mask embodies the elegance and refinement characteristic of Punu sculpture, which seeks to represent an ancestral spirit or an ideal figure with great economy of strokes, prioritizing symmetry and balance of forms.