"Punu Female Mask – Gabon"
A refined mask with smooth, symmetrical features, embodying the ideal of beauty according to the Punu of southern Gabon. The face, covered in white kaolin, symbolizes the world of the ancestors. The half-closed eyes, arched eyebrows, half-open mouth, and raised scarifications on the forehead and temples are all signs of nobility and purity. The tall headdress, finely incised and sculpted at the back, testifies to the elegance sought in female representation.
This type of mask was worn during mukudji dances, often performed on stilts at funerals or celebrations related to the memory of the deceased. A fine example of classic Punu art, both sober and powerful.
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