Anthropomorphic mask · Gabun, Tsogho/Punu · ID: 3035441
Swiss Private Collection
Description
light wood, kaolin, black paint at the coiffure, narrow see slits underneath gentle vaulted lids with arching eyebrows above; forehead tattoo, delicate nose and stylized mouth arranged in a vertical line, threepartite coiffure with prominent middle lobe, slightly dam., minor missing parts (left eye, middle lobe), paint rubbed off (above all backside);
the idealisation of the facial features, expressing calmness and harmony, the whitening of the face with kaolin and the threepartite coiffure seem to identify the mask as a variation of the “okuyi” masks of the Punu/Lumbo. The arching eyebrows referring to the Tsogho. The planeness and the stylisation of the facial features however reminds of the Vuvi.
The object Anthropomorphic mask with the object ID 3035441 was part of the auction 74th tribal art auction on September 7, 2013. The object with the lot number 95 achieved a sales price of EUR 3,600 with an asking price of EUR 3,000.
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