Mask for the Okuyi Society (Mukudj)
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Object Label
In the past mukudj masks were danced on stilts in masquerades during funeral celebrations. The mask’s white coloring symbolizes peace, the afterlife, and the spirits of the dead—though today its performances are chiefly for entertainment.
Caption
Punu. Mask for the Okuyi Society (Mukudj), late 19th century. Wood, pigment, 9 7/8 x 7 x 6in. (25.1 x 17.8 x 15.2cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1922, Robert B. Woodward Memorial Fund, 22.225. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 22.225_SL1_edited_version.jpg)
Collection
Collection
Culture
Title
Mask for the Okuyi Society (Mukudj)
Date
late 19th century
Geography
Place made: Gabon
Medium
Wood, pigment
Classification
Dimensions
9 7/8 x 7 x 6in. (25.1 x 17.8 x 15.2cm)
Credit Line
Museum Expedition 1922, Robert B. Woodward Memorial Fund
Accession Number
22.225
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
Frequent Art Questions
When was this made?
This Punu Mask by an unidentified Punu artist was made in the late 19th century in Gabon.It is believed that masks like are carved to resemble a beautiful Punu woman, due to their heart-shaped faces, high cheekbones and overall delicate features. This mask may have been modeled after the likeness of specific women who knew the carver of this mask, as the hairstyle is unique to each mask.
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