African Tribal Art: Punu People, Gabon: Blackened Ikwara Mask, 19th/20th Century. Carved wood, enhanced with dark stain, white and red pigments, and a brass upholstery tack.

Blackened Punu masks are extremely rare. Unlike the ubiquitous white okuyi masks, which performed publicly, these masks were held in secrecy. Known as ikwara (or ikwara-mokulu, which means "the mask of the night"), they were worn during nocturnal processions.

A comparable mask was sold by Christies' Art of Africa Masterworks sale on May 14, 2019 in New York, Lot 7. The Kreeger Museum in Washington owns a very similar mask formerly in the collection of Helena Rubinstein. A second example, once held by Charles Ratton, is in the collection of the Dapper foundation (#9709). A third was sold by Christie’s (Christie's, Paris, 7 June 2005, lot 228) and a last was formerly in the Verité collection (Hôtel Drouot, Paris, Collection Verité, 17-18 June 2006, lot 191).

For further reference see Robbins, Warren and Nooter, Nancy, African Art in American Collections, Survey 1989, Washington, D. C., Smithsonian Institution Press, 1989, plates #915 Θ

Provenance: Private Collection, Massachusetts, Private collection, New York

Dimensions: 10"H x 6"W x 5"D Good condition with minor wood loss on the back rim, worn areas, evidence of handling and native maintenance, Please inspect the photos and videos, which supplement the written description and show the condition of this lot.

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