TSHOKWE, Angola. Hardwood, dark patina, upholsterer's nails. Masks of women associated with power are very rare, and our example probably represents a queen mother or the legendary princess "Lueji" wearing the sumptuous "Mutwe Wa Kayanda" headdress, asserting her princely rank. This remarkable dance mask, sculpted by a "Songi" (professional sculptor), is strikingly frontal and exudes an impression of harmony and interiority. This superb face embodies and celebrates the Tshokwe ideal of feminine beauty, combining plastic beauty with symbolism. H. 21 cm. Literature: "Les signes du Pouvoir", Collectif, published by the Musée d'ethnographie in Neuchâtel.