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Mask (Karan-wemba)

Unknown19th century

Brooklyn Museum

Brooklyn Museum
Brooklyn, New York City, United States

Oval, minimally decorated face mask on top of which is 21" tall standing female figure. Figure is nude, frontally posed, with arms at sides and knees slightly bent. Figures oval face clearly delineated, with protruding eyes, straight nose, and slightly open mouth revealing two (metal?) teeth. Ears squarish with one hole in each lobe. Coiffure consists of a single ridge with shallow striations from brow, over top of head, continuing down to shoulder level. Scarification marks on cheeks and back of head. Long columnar neck with three shallow striations encircling middle. Broad shoulders and large breasts. Extensive linear scarification marks consisting of triangular and checkerboard patterns incised on back, upper arms, and buttocks. More lightly incised scarification marks above breasts and on belly. Naval protrudes slightly. Buttocks sharply delineated, moving into upper legs at a sharp angle. Thick, smooth curved legs. Hands and feet minimally carved with incised lines definiing fingers and toes. Mask below figure is oval in shape with square eye holes. Eye area set back approximately 1" from surface. Vertical ridge moves down center of eye area. Eye area rimmed with oval-shaped ridge. Twenty-four small holes evenly spaced around edge of mask. Interior unornamented. Condition good.

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Brooklyn Museum

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