Tchokwe Dance Mask, Democratic Republic Of Congo. First Half Of The 20th Century.

Tchokwe dance mask Dance mask carved with a face with an intense character. The almond-shaped eyes, the fine nose, the raised eyebrows, and the half-open mouth symbolically revealing the teeth express a protective intention. The headdress is composed of deep braids facing backwards, the face is enriched with circular concave motifs. Wood with an old honey and brown patina, with signs of use. A few small chips at the rear edges, but in good general condition of conservation. See the photos for more details. Origin: Tchokwe, Democratic Republic of Congo. First half of the 20th century. Dimensions: 19.5 x 13 cm. With base: 29.5 x 13 cm. Provenance: Private collection, acquired from the former Origine gallery, Paris, in the late 1990s. Sold with a certificate of authenticity from the expert Serge Reynes. Guaranteed to be original and of the period. * Shipping costs on request Among the Tchokwe, masks play a central role in ritual ceremonies and initiation dances. This type of mask, with its protective expression and marked sculptural features, would have been worn to embody an ancestral spirit, protect the community or accompany rites of passage. The Lwena influences, perceptible in the circular concave patterns of the headdress, reflect cultural exchanges between the Tchokwe and neighboring peoples, reinforcing the importance of these masks as symbolic and artistic objects. The patina and marks of use testify to its use in a ritual context, adding to its historical and ethnographic value.