Polychrome face mask, Punu (Pounou) or Punu-Lumbo circle, Gabon (Southwest) (Ngounié / Nyanga)

Polychrome face mask, Punu (Pounou) or Punu-Lumbo circle, Gabon (Southwest) (Ngounié / Nyanga), mid XXᵉ century. Light carved wood, light coating (kaolin) and mineral pigments. Provenance: Jacques Mazières collection (African sojourns between 1950 and 1970). Ritual dance mask with idealized aesthetic.
Lightly carved wood, light coating (kaolin), mineral pigments (ochre, red, brown, black).
Height: 25 cm - Width: 14 cm - Depth: 9 cm - Weight: 220 g (very light)
Probable dating : middle XXᵉ century
Provenance : collection of Jacques Mazières, who lived and circulated in Africa between 1950 and 1970.
Small-format, finely hollowed-out mask with reduced, balanced volume.
The exceptional lightness of the wood (220 g) indicates a destination for prolonged wear, probably as part of ritual dances.
Face

Clear, kaolinized face with smoothed surface
Full cheeks, soft modeling
Half-closed, almond-shaped eyes, narrow slits
Straight, short nose
Mouth closed, slightly hemmed
Calm, interiorized, idealized expression

This search for harmony and restraint is characteristic of Punu aesthetics.
Painted decor

Vertical frontal band with alternating geometric decoration
Eyebrows highlighted in red and brown
Geometric perioral motifs
Discreet black highlights
Antique, matte, partially faded pigments

Polychromy is not decorative but structuring, integrated into the sculpture.
Hairstyle / top

High, triangular, full headdress
Sober, openwork volume
Old dark-brown patina
Visible tool marks

Ritual dance mask, probably associated with mukudj / mukuyi-type events (terminology varies according to region and author):

Codified apparitions
idealized figures
the world of spirits or ancestors

State of preservation

Sound wood, stable structure
Old pigments partially faded (normal use)
Consistent wear on edges
No visible modern overpainting
Very good old, unrestored condition

Museum comparisons

Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac
Punu masks with white faces, comparable formats.
British Museum
Punu / Lumbo masks, southern Gabon.

Bibliographical references

Louis Perrois, Arts du Gabon, RMN
Kerchache, Paudrat, Stephan, L'Art africain, Citadelles & Mazenod
Frank Willett, African Art, Thames & Hudson

Ref: 8S635L2OGF