Description
A female Pwo (woman, or mwana pwo, young woman) mask inspired by the features of a woman whose beauty was greatly admired, it symbolizes the primordial role played by women in Chokwe matrilineal society, & fully expresses the ideal of beauty. The very deep sockets focusing attention on the large half-closed coffee bean eyes pierced by a thin slit placed under raised eyebrows, create a subtle play of curves & counter-curves with the cheeks & the mouth half-open towards the front visually accentuating the extreme sensitivity of the modeling. The nostrils are pierced with the insertion of a thin wooden cylinder. The incised engravings on the face have very specific meanings, such as the chingelyengelye cross on the forehead, which was an identifying mark of the Chokwe until the beginning of the 20th century & is found on many objects, interpreted as a cosmogram, while the circular motifs on each cheek evoke a solar disk joined by tears. Period: First half of the 20th century Ethnicity: Chokwe Materials: Wood, pigments Country: Angola Chokwe Mask Central Africa | African
