Beautiful female face mask "okuyi" or "mukudji" · Gabon, Punu · ID: 3050859
Boris Kegel-Konietzko, Hamburg, Germany
Joseph Christiaens, Brussels, Belgium
Zemanek-Münster, Würzburg, 22 September 2001, Lot 534
Werner Zintl, Worms, Germany
Description
wood, white earth “pemba”, red pigment, collection label “II 54”, base
The white masks of the Punu from Southern Gabon have become one of the emblematic images of African arts since the end of the 19th century.
The “okuyi” dance, which gave its name to these masks, brought the community together for major events: during the funerals of its most important members, at the birth of twins, at the initiation of young men, and to restore social order after a crisis in the community. The okuyi dancer, accompanied with his acolytes, danced through the village on high stilts provoking people with acrobatic stunts.
“Okuyi” invoked spirits from the underworld that were incarnated as a “beautiful young girl”. Her appearance was idealized in an exquisitely carved mask.
The object Beautiful female face mask “okuyi” or “mukudji” with the object ID 3050859 was part of the auction 102nd Auction on April 13, 2024. The object with the lot number 108 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,000 with an asking price of EUR 800.
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