A superb old female pwo dance mask (or mwana pwo for a young woman), embodying the idealized beauty of women, and displaying all the ancient attributes of beauty in Tchokwe country. He still wears the hairstyle and characteristics of the pwo masks, enriched with jewels, and has also kept his woven cotton net for the mask wearer. Ancient pwo masks such as this one may have served an important fertility cult linked to spiritual entities called mahamba, and their incarnation in these masks could be identified as a cause of illness if they were neglected or not danced regularly enough. Always worn by a male dancer, but embodying feminine beauty, the pwo or mwana pwo mask contributed to the fertility of spectators. Chokwe, Angola Wood, metal nails, plant fibers, bamboo, glass beads, metal rings, slight surface scratches, beautiful old patina. H. 19.5 cm Provenance : - Alain de Monbrison, Paris - Daniel Fauchon Collection, Paris - Alain Bovis, Paris - Private collection, Paris