Men’s Ventral Mask
Vuvi · Gabon
Reference: MVT-4
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- Height
- 40 cm
- Material
- Wood and pigments
Belly or ventral masks are used by different ethnic groups to represent motherhood. They are worn by men during ceremonies intended to celebrate fertility, at a…
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Full original description
Belly or ventral masks are used by different ethnic groups to represent motherhood. They are worn by men during ceremonies intended to celebrate fertility, at a time, in most of the populations of women and of the land. These masks show the breasts and belly of a pregnant woman, as the most real symbol of fertility and procreation.
These masks participate in the rites of passage of adolescents to adulthood, as well as in the playful parties that are celebrated below. Circumcised boys receive initiation before and later initiation that teaches them the secrets of marriage and prepares them for domestic life. It is also used in a playful dance, danced by men, in which the birth is parodyed.
Some of the male attributes have disappeared by breakage.
Further technical information
- Attributed period
- Mid-century XX
Details transcribed from the original catalogue; they are not a recent physical inspection.
Country on the map
Gabon. The country associated with the catalog is shown, not the current location of the piece.
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Attributions, dates and accounts come from the preserved catalogue. They do not constitute certification of authenticity or provenance. An object’s presence on this website does not mean it is available for sale.
