Simona Oprea
Head of Oriental Art, Traditional Art & Carpets Evaluation Office; Chinese Language Certificate HSK 4
The photos of the lot are informative and indicative, and cannot provide a highly detailed view of the object from all angles. We recommend a careful physical inspection of the lot before bidding.
The photos of the lot are informative and indicative, and cannot provide a highly detailed view of the object from all angles. We recommend a careful physical inspection of the lot before bidding.
112. Pwo type mask, exotic wood and banana leaves, representative of the Chokwe tribe, illustrating a goddess, Congo, approx. 1950
Selling price
Pretul de pornire si cel estimat nu sunt preturi de vanzare efective
EUR 600
Session
Thu, 15 July 2021 19:00
Brought to you by
Chokwe, also spelled Ciokwe or Cokwe, also called Bajokwe or Badjok, is a Bantu-speaking people who inhabit the southern part of the Congo (Kinshasa), from the Kwango River to the Lualaba River, northeastern Angola and, since 1920, the northwestern corner of Zambia. They live in woodland savannah, nearby mangroves and marshlands. They are a mixture of several aboriginal peoples and nomadic peoples. The Chokwe language belongs to the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo languages. At the end of the twentieth century, the population of Chokwe was estimated at about 1,300,000 people.
This object is a remarkable example of Pwo, a classic type of Chokwe mask that honours the female founding ancestors. Such representations are especially significant given that the Chokwe trace descent through their mothers' lines. The cultural values developed during the pre-colonial period continue to inspire contemporary artists in the region.
The motifs inscribed on the mask's forehead and cheeks are classic graphic designs that aesthetically enhanced a woman's beauty in past generations and were signs of ethnic identity. The central cruciform on the forehead has been interpreted as a cosmogram while the markings on either cheek are described as a solar disc joined by tears. Chokwe masks are often displayed at the celebrations that mark the completion of initiation into adulthood.
Dimensions
width 15 cm, height 50 cm, custom 50 Ã 15 cm
Description
exotic wood, hand carved, dried banana leaves
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For clarifications regarding the bidding procedure, hammer price costs, guarantee, payment, and collection terms for the winning lot, we recommend carefully reading/re-reading the Bidding Regulations.
For additional information regarding the lot and the auction, please contact the Art Consultants Department.
Detalii
Chokwe, also spelled Ciokwe or Cokwe, also called Bajokwe or Badjok, is a Bantu-speaking people who inhabit the southern part of the Congo (Kinshasa), from the Kwango River to the Lualaba River, northeastern Angola and, since 1920, the northwestern corner of Zambia. They live in woodland savannah, nearby mangroves and marshlands. They are a mixture of several aboriginal peoples and nomadic peoples. The Chokwe language belongs to the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo languages. At the end of the twentieth century, the population of Chokwe was estimated at about 1,300,000 people.
This object is a remarkable example of Pwo, a classic type of Chokwe mask that honours the female founding ancestors. Such representations are especially significant given that the Chokwe trace descent through their mothers' lines. The cultural values developed during the pre-colonial period continue to inspire contemporary artists in the region.
The motifs inscribed on the mask's forehead and cheeks are classic graphic designs that aesthetically enhanced a woman's beauty in past generations and were signs of ethnic identity. The central cruciform on the forehead has been interpreted as a cosmogram while the markings on either cheek are described as a solar disc joined by tears. Chokwe masks are often displayed at the celebrations that mark the completion of initiation into adulthood.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For clarifications regarding the bidding procedure, hammer price costs, guarantee, payment, and collection terms for the winning lot, we recommend carefully reading/re-reading the Bidding Regulations.
For additional information regarding the lot and the auction, please contact the Art Consultants Department.
Dimensions
width 15 cm, height 50 cm, custom 50 Ã 15 cm
Description
exotic wood, hand carved, dried banana leaves
Brought to you by
Simona Oprea
Head of Oriental Art, Traditional Art & Carpets Evaluation Office; Chinese Language Certificate HSK 4
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