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Sable De Paradis

Chokwe Wood Carved Pwo Mask

Chokwe Wood Carved Pwo Mask

Dhs. 19,790.00 AED
Dhs. 19,790.00 AED
تَخْفِيض Sold out

تَوْصِيلٌ مَجَّانِيٌّ

تَوْصِيلٌ مَجَّانِيٌّ لِلْأَعْضَاءِ الحَصْرِيِّينَ

رَائِحَةٌ مَضْمُونَةٌ طَوِيلَةُ الأَمَدِ

إِكْسِيرٌ مُطْلَقٌ بِتَرْكِيزِ %٣٥

حُزْمَةُ هَدَايَا

اطْلُبْ خَدَمَاتِ تَغْلِيفٍ خَاصَّةٍ لِمَنْ تُحِبُّ

صُنِعَ فِي الإِمَارَاتِ

صُنِعَ بِالذَّكَاءِ الِاصْطِنَاعِيِّ

Democratic Republic of Congo, ca. 19th or early 20th century. A finely carved ceremonial mask with flanged chin, interlocking teeth, slender nose, and slit, oval eyes with face outlining well as scarification markings on cheeks and forehead. The mask is painted in black and red paint for a striking contrast and is topped and backed by a woven hood with loop stitching.

Size: 11 inches H. + custom mount.

 

Ex. Dr Milton Best Collection; Acquired from Royal Athena Gallery New York 1988. Ex Sotheby’s Important Tribal Art, London, June 29th 1987, lot 224. 

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The Breath of Pwo

The night air is thick with the scent of earth and fire as the Pwo dancer steps into the circle, the mask pressing gently against their skin. The Chokwe people watch in silent reverence—this is no mere performance; it is an invocation. Pwo, the ancestral mother, the essence of wisdom and grace, moves through the wearer, her presence felt in each measured step. The finely carved features—serene eyes, high cheekbones, delicate markings—speak of lineage, of the matriarchs who shaped generations. Once, only those chosen by tradition could don this sacred mask, embodying the spirit of femininity, fertility, and ancestral honor. To wear it now is to step into the rhythm of history, to feel the pulse of a culture where womanhood was revered as divine.

The Lineage of Wood and Spirit

Carved from richly grained wood, the Chokwe Pwo mask is an ode to the ancestral mothers who guided their people with wisdom and strength. Each detail carries meaning—the almond-shaped eyes, half-closed in contemplation; the delicate scarifications, symbols of beauty and status; the finely etched patterns that whisper of lineage and ritual. Traditionally worn by male dancers to honor the power and grace of women, the Pwo mask was a bridge between generations, an acknowledgment that the spirit of the ancestors lives on. Today, it remains a timeless relic of Chokwe artistry, a symbol of reverence for the past, and a reminder that history is not forgotten—it is carried forward, carved into wood, and worn in spirit.