The 1800s, Early 1900s Chokwe Mwana Pwo Mask Angola African Tribal Antique

This work is an outstanding example of Pwo, a classic Chokwe mask genre that honors founding female ancestors.

Inscribed motifs on the mask's forehead and cheeks are classic graphic designs that aesthetically enhanced a woman's beauty in past generations and were signs of ethnic identity.

The central cruciform on the forehead has been interpreted as a Cosmo gram while the markings on either cheek are described as a solar disc joined by a mass of tears.

Chokwe masks are often performed at the celebrations that mark the completion of initiation into adulthood.

That occasion also marks the dissolution of the bonds of intimacy between mothers and their sons.

The pride and sorrow that event represents for Chokwe women are alluded to by the tear motif.

Such representations are especially significant given that the Chokwe trace descent through their mothers' lines.

Pwo's joint performance with her male counterpart, Cihongo, brings fertility and prosperity to a community.

The cultural ideals of these two iconic representations developed during the pre-colonial period continue to inspire contemporary artists in the region.

A Chokwe Mwana pwo female mask with richly carved features and a shining red-brown patina.

There are losses to the top of the mask above the forehead. A string has been added for hanging and stand for display.