Mid 20th Century African Fang Reliquary Wood Figurative Statue Gabon

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Carved out of a single block of wood, this Gabon Fang male reliquary statue of stylized proportion impresses the viewers … Read more Carved out of a single block of wood, this Gabon Fang male reliquary statue of stylized proportion impresses the viewers with a robust stance and meditative expression. Traditionally inserted into the funeral baskets containing ancestor's bones and served as the guardians for the revered, the carving of the figure tends to be very stylized with iconic characteristics. The statue on offer is relatively large and features a cylindrical neck that simply extends into the chest and torso, a typical heart shape face with a broad forehead and arched eyebrow recalls the characteristics of a Fang mask. The arrowhead-shape nose leads to a slightly protruded chin with horizontally rendered lips. The arms were given a curvy and fleshy shape, which hold a libation cup in front of the chest. The muscular legs are shortened and bent at the knee into a sitting position. Copper sheets were used to indicate the eyes and the three sacrifices located in the middle of forehead and the two forearms. Examining the piece and the patina, it is likely that the piece was made in the mid-20th century for tourist trade intended for native use. Regardless, it has a powerful and artistic presence as a sculpture on its own.
More specifically: although the style of this statue appears to be of the Ntumu tribes, a subgroup of Fang spreads over the borders of three countries (Gabon, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea), it has clear influences from the neighboring subgroups of Fang as well. The usage of metal is found more common in Northern Ngumba tribes, which is located in southern Cameroon. The elaborate coiffure with three crests suggests an influence of Mva tribes. This is conceivable given that Ntumu has a central locale among all Fang tribes, which underwent extensive regional interaction and migration, and that Ngumba and Mva? are adjacent to Ntumu to the north and east respectively. See less