Origin: Chokwe people (DRC / Angola)
Estimated date: Late 19th – early 20th century
Description: This Pwo-Tchokwe female mask, an emblem of beauty and fertility, embodies the maternal ancestor who transmits to initiates the values of wisdom, elegance, and continuity of the lineage. The scarifications, stylized features, and braided fiber headdress underscore the ritual and symbolic power of the work.
This masterpiece of Pwo-Tchokwe statuary is distinguished by the elegance of its features and the depth of its patina. Used during initiation ceremonies, it embodies the ancestral figure of the mother, guardian of knowledge and memory.
The subtle combination of wood, ritual incisions, and natural fibers gives this piece a rare intensity, worthy of major museum collections.
Materials: Carved wood (mask), Natural pigments (brown patina), Woven plant fibers (net), Cotton fabrics (red and brown, ritual fragments)
Dimensions: H. 32 cm x W. 20 cm x D. 15 cm
Function: Used during initiation and ritual ceremonies, particularly in male secret societies (Mukanda), this mask embodied ancestral spirits and played an educational and protective role. The added fabrics served to ritually “activate” the object.
Estimated age: 100–130 years
Condition: Good, with wear and ritual patina of use (frayed fabric remains, partially preserved net).
