small face mask with white skin; coffee-bean eyes with slit openings; coffee-bean shaped lips with wider line for mouth; rather flat nose; arched thin eyebrows; very small, high ears; hair in cornrows above the ears; scarifications (?) on cheeks and outer sides of eyes

Mask, late 19th century

Lumboexpand_more

Wood, pigmentsexpand_more

The Putnam Dana McMillan Fundexpand_more  2014.5

Not on Viewexpand_more

The white masks of the Punu and their Lumbo neighbors in Gabon are used by dancers in performances during burial rites. The mask is intended to represent an idealized male or female ancestor. The white clay suggests the color of the dead, and the superbly accomplished face of this mask represents a young woman.

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Details
Title
Mask
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2014.5
Curator Approved

This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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small face mask with white skin; coffee-bean eyes with slit openings; coffee-bean shaped lips with wider line for mouth; rather flat nose; arched thin eyebrows; very small, high ears; hair in cornrows above the ears; scarifications (?) on cheeks and outer sides of eyes

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