Punu Mask (Okuyi)
Artist Unidentified
20th century
Object PlaceGabon
Medium/TechniqueWood, pigments
Dimensions11 1/2 in. h x 7 in. w x 7 in. d
Credit LineGift of William E. and Bertha L. Teel
Accession number1994.394
On View
Not on viewClassificationsMasks
Collections
White-faced masks were emoyed by several Ogoew River peoples, chiefly he Puna and Lumbo, and also were traded widely by the coastal Mpongwe. They are said to embody the personas of past community elders and were worn by costumed stilt-dancers at Mukuji society funerary rites. This example has the characteristic three-part black coiffure, arching brows over slit eyes, and pursed red lips. The haunting combination of beauty and balance was much admired by early European collectors.
ProvenanceMay 22, 1969, sold by the Galerie Le Corneur Roudillon, Paris, to William Teel and Bertha, Marblehead, MA; 1994, partial gift of William and Bertha Teel to the MFA; 2014, acquired fully with the bequest of William Teel to the MFA. (Accession Dates: January 26, 1994 and February 26, 2014)Artist Unidentified
Artist Unidentified
mid to late 20th century
