punu - Gabon (No reserve price)
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Punu Okuyi wooden mask from Gabon in Privécollectie, carved in wood with kaolin pigment, depicting ancestral spirits and feminine beauty, height 60 cm.
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Description from the seller
An elegant and finely carved wooden face mask from the Punu ethnic group of southern Gabon. This classic "Okuyi" (or Mukudj) mask embodies ancestral spirits and represents the idealized standards of feminine beauty, purity, and serenity.
Key Features & Aesthetic Details:Facial Features: The oval face is heavily coated with traditional white kaolin pigment. It features delicate, slit almond-shaped ("coffee-bean") eyes set beneath elegantly arched brows
.Scarification: The high, globular forehead and temples feature prominent lozenge/diamond-shaped scarification patterns (keloids), subtly highlighted with a reddish hue.
Lips & Accents: The full, pursed lips, ears, and nostrils retain subtle hints of reddish-brown pigment, contrasting beautifully with the white face.
Coiffure: The imposing hairstyle is meticulously sculpted with fine parallel lines, building up into a high, distinctive central chignon
.Condition:The mask is in good vintage condition with signs of age and ritual/ceremonial context. It features a beautiful dark patina on the hairstyle and reverse side. There are small structural tension cracks, minor chips, and abrasions consistent with authentic tribal use. Perforations are present on the sides of the rim for attaching a raffia costume.
Specifications:Origin: GabonEthnic Group: PunuMaterial: Wood, Kaolin pigmentHeight: 30 cm
An elegant and finely carved wooden face mask from the Punu ethnic group of southern Gabon. This classic "Okuyi" (or Mukudj) mask embodies ancestral spirits and represents the idealized standards of feminine beauty, purity, and serenity.
Key Features & Aesthetic Details:Facial Features: The oval face is heavily coated with traditional white kaolin pigment. It features delicate, slit almond-shaped ("coffee-bean") eyes set beneath elegantly arched brows
.Scarification: The high, globular forehead and temples feature prominent lozenge/diamond-shaped scarification patterns (keloids), subtly highlighted with a reddish hue.
Lips & Accents: The full, pursed lips, ears, and nostrils retain subtle hints of reddish-brown pigment, contrasting beautifully with the white face.
Coiffure: The imposing hairstyle is meticulously sculpted with fine parallel lines, building up into a high, distinctive central chignon
.Condition:The mask is in good vintage condition with signs of age and ritual/ceremonial context. It features a beautiful dark patina on the hairstyle and reverse side. There are small structural tension cracks, minor chips, and abrasions consistent with authentic tribal use. Perforations are present on the sides of the rim for attaching a raffia costume.
Specifications:Origin: GabonEthnic Group: PunuMaterial: Wood, Kaolin pigmentHeight: 30 cm
Details
Indigenous object name
punu
Number of objects
1
Country of Origin
Gabon
Period
Late 20th century
Material
Wood
Condition
Excellent condition
Height
60 cm
Width
25 cm
Depth
25 cm
Provenance
Private collection
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