New photography by Shannon Ruff captured with a digital camera-2006.

Face Mask

Artist Punu peoples (Gabonese)

DateEarly to mid-20th century

MediumPigment and kaolin on wood

DimensionsOverall: 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm)

ClassificationsAfrican art

Credit LineGift of Gabrielle P. Hubbard in memory of William L. Parker, Sarah Harrison Parker, & J.W. Hubbard, Jr.

Object number91.70

Terms

Woman
Black
White
Red
Gabon

Collections

African Art

On View

On view

DescriptionThis mask represents the likeness of a beautiful Gabon woman. Stylized qualities are used to capture her elegance: oval face, coiffure, arched eyebrows, scarification, eyes, and small mouth. The mask fits over the face and has moon-shaped slits for eyes. The mask is gently rounded and the nose is long and well-formed. An elaborate style of hairdressing is carved above the face. The hair is painted black, the face is (faded) white, the mouth is picked out in vivid scarlet, and the eyebrows are a fine line of black. The mask would have been worn by an agile male dancer attempting to gain communal recognition. The dancer also performed acrobatic feats while balancing on stilts. Similar masks from the same region would have represented the spirit of a dead maiden, used in a funeral ceremony. A male dancer, wearing stilts, would have performed in celebration of her life.

Label TextFace Mask, early to mid 20th century Punu peoples, Gabonese (African) Pigment and kaolin on wood, 13 1/2 in. Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA Gift of Gabrielle P. Hubbard in memory of William L. Parker, Sarah Harrison Parker, & J.W. Hubbard, Jr. 91.70