Tribal Art

Lega Statuette (N° 23713)

Figure of a couple whose silhouettes assembled back to back and treated in a very stylized way, form a sculpted object testifying to the sensitivity of its creator.
In African art lega, this type of small anthropomorphic figure, intended for an initiate of the Bwami, was part of a set used over the initiations. Within the Léga, the Bwami society, open to men and women, organized social and political life. There were up to seven levels of initiation, each associated with emblems. The teacher guided the aspiring lega to a place where African lega masks and statuettes were exhibited, and it was through careful observation that the future initiate had to guess the more or less complex meaning of these objects, true metaphors largely referring to proverbs and sayings. Each of these initiations took place over seven days and included at least seven performances. Items "won" individually were then kept in a woven bag worn over the shoulder, in a basket for those won collectively.
Velvety patina, abrasions from use.