Description

Height: 27cm

Width: 17cm

A striking hand-carved African tribal mask displaying strong similarities to the traditional Mukudj masks of the Punu people of Gabon.

The mask features a pale kaolin-style painted face framed by a dark carved surround, with narrow almond-shaped eyes, a prominent triangular nose and highly stylised facial proportions.

Such masks were traditionally associated with ancestral ceremonies and performances, where idealised beauty, wisdom and spiritual protection were represented through simplified geometric forms.

Carved from a single piece of hardwood, the reverse shows evidence of hand tooling and age, while the front retains its original decorative finish and worn surface patina developed through years of handling and display.

The minimalist design gives the piece a highly sculptural quality, making it equally suitable as ethnographic art, tribal décor or a statement wall display.