Tribal Art

A symbol of power, this African statue features a founding ancestor and mythical hero, Chibinda Ilunga, wearing the chipangula, intended for chiefs. He holds a ritual horn and a staff. The chiefs had a major function in the propitiation rites intended for hunting and the fertility of women. Applications of castor oil and coloring plant decoctions were generally administered to the surface.
Erosions.

Peacefully settled in eastern Angola until the 16th century, the Chokwé were then subject to the Lunda empire from which they inherited a new hierarchical system and the sacredness of power. Three centuries later, they ended up seizing the capital of the Lunda weakened by internal conflicts, thus contributing to the dismantling of the kingdom. The Chokwé did not have ...

The African statues associated with the Byeri cult embody the ancestor of the clan acting as "guardians" of reliquaries.
Figured seated, wrists and shoulders encircled by wicker vines crossed behind the back , the subject offers classically prominent musculature. A fragment of a ritual mirror lines the bottom of a cup placed on the bust. Hollowed pupils indicate a trance state.
Heterogeneous oiled patina, abrasions, restoration and cracks from use.

Among the Fang of Cameroon and Gabon, each family has a "Byeri", or reliquary box, in which the bones of the ancestors are kept. These boxes were guarded by the oldest man in the village, the “esa”. The reliquary boxes were topped with a statue or head which acted as guardian of the “byeri” boxes. These were kept in ...

Ex-French African artcollection.
Within the wide diversity of nkisi sculptures to which multiple virtues were attributed, this African maternity in figurative style, image of the protective ancestor of the clan, offers an abundance of very finely chiseled details. This type of female statue was accompanied by its male counterpart named Mabyaala.
Burgundy brown satin patina. Minor erosions and desiccation cracks.
The Vili, the Lâri, the Sûndi, the Woyo, the Bembé, the Bwende, the Yombé and the Kôngo formed the Kôngo group, led by king ntotela . With the same beliefs and traditions, they produced statuary with codified gestures in relation to their vision of the world.
Ref. : "Africa, the art of a continent" ed. Prestel (p.247)

Ex-collection of French African art.
Symbolizing according to some authors the naja snake, this wooden sculpture decorated with strips and metal plates is characteristic of the Mahongwe of the extreme northeast of Gabon, on the Congo border. Baskets containing the relics of illustrious ancestors, generally topped by two reliquaries, were kept in village temples. One of them embodied the founder of the lineage, and the second his descendants.
The cult of ancestors, the bwete (North Kota) was at the heart of the social and religious life of the Kota and presents many analogies with that of the i>Fang. In the exclusive presence of initiates, the major decisions of the clan were taken during ceremonies during which reliquaries were taken out and used. In order to reactivate ...

Rarely presented in such a posture, the mbole sculpture here depicts a seated subject, hands clasped in prayer. Oiled black patina, erosions and drying cracks, restorations (reptile skin).
The province of Lualaba had several close ethnic groups with similar associations. The Mbole are known for their statues embodying, according to D. Biebuck, hanged men, called ofika. The lilwa, an association with dogmatic initiation rites, had the custom of judging and condemning to hanging those guilty of infractions of the imposed rules. These offenses ranged from murder to adultery to breaking the secret surrounding the lilwa. Dishonored, the bodies of the condemned received no funeral and were buried in the forest. It was during the end of initiation ceremonies, presided over by a notable ...

African statue altar part of a cult supposed to promote fertility and protect descendants, very widespread not only among the animist Idoma, but also among the Igala and the Yoruba of the South. These statues which benefited from offerings were kept in sanctuaries. Matte crusty patina. Erosions.
The Idoma live at the confluence of the Benué and the Niger. Numbering 500,000, they are farmers and traders. There are Igbo, Cross River and Igala influences in their art and customs and it is often difficult to distinguish them from their neighbors. Royal lineage members of their oglinye society, glorifying courage, use masks and crests during funerals and festivities. They also produced fertility statues with whitened faces displaying incised teeth. Janiform crests generally appear at ...

In African art, the sowei constitute, through Mende culture, the feminine ideal. This "bell" shaped mask called bundu, among the most important among the Mendé, features a face encased in rings, symbolizing an abundance of flesh associated with prosperity.
Painted black or tinted using a leaf wash, the mask was then rubbed with palm oil. Semi-matte patina, abrasions from use, gaps.
The Mende, Vaï and Gola cultures, of Sierra Leone, Liberia and the west coast of Guinea, are known in African art for the helmet masks and more particularly those of the female initiation society Sandé< /i> which prepares young girls for marriage. The male society is the Poro society. Relatively rare in sub-Saharan Africa, these masks are made by men and worn by women.
To close the rituals, ...

Ex-collection of French African tribal art.
This African sculpture called "ugonachonma" depicts a young nubile woman. It included staging in village squares during dry season entertainment ceremonies. These figures are specific to village age groups in the north central Igbo region, around Onitsha and Awka. Women have specific criteria of Igbo beauty, including uli tattoos. Eroded matte patina, discreet polychrome highlights, drying cracks and gaps.
br>The Igbo worship a considerable number of deities known as alusi, or agbara, considered to be the descendants of Chuku, or Chukwu, and as such constitute intermediaries to whom sacrifices such as kola nuts, money, kaolin, are granted in order to enjoy their favors. These sculptures produced in several regions range from around ...

African mask "Unangled" whose carefully braided hairstyle contours the upper part of the face. A lustrous dark patina enhances the soft harmony of the features. The masks were sculpted according to precise instructions following dreams in which the spirits appeared. Height on base: 38 cm. Abrasions, small accidents.
The Dan masks, of various styles, generally occur during very theatrical entertainment festivals where women play a leading role. The so-called "mocking" mask called Déanglé defines an ideal of beauty and benevolence because it is sculpted in honor of the young girls of the village or renowned men. Each mask had a name linked to its function. Also used during circumcision rites, they appear in the company of the gle sö singing masks and the large go ge masks ...

The Fang of the region extending from Yaoundé in Cameroon to Ogooué in Gabon strongly influenced the Mabea of southern Cameroon. The latter have absorbed a large part of their rites such as the so and the ngil. The reliquary statues, sculpted by the Mabea, are however generally larger than those of the Fang and adorned with various finery. The hairstyle is also very distinct, divided into two shells, unlike the Fang crest. This figure of a female ancestor is treated according to the conventions in use, hands resting on the thighs. Its jewelry represents the copper torques and bracelets worn by dignitaries. Minor cracks. Heterogeneous, slightly grainy patina.
Among the Fang of Cameroon and Gabon, each family has a “Byeri”, or reliquary box, in which the bones of the ancestors ...

Ex-collection of French African tribal art. These conical-shaped masks come from the Nsukka region, but could be of Igala origin. The neighboring Igala indeed have comparable royal masks. This example with lateral fins offers striated patterns linked to the facial scarifications of the igala groups. The mask is topped with a bouquet of feathers. Oiled patina. Desiccation cracks, chips, indigenous restoration.
The Igbo live in the forest in the southeast of Nigeria. The village constitutes the largest social unit, the smallest being the extended family. Each village has a high degree of autonomy and is placed under the authority of the oldest lineage leader. The Igbo religion includes on the one hand the god Chuku, supreme creator, considered omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, ...

The sowei embody the aquatic spirits. This ancient African Mende mask is of the type called bundu associated with Bundu ritual initiations. These masks invariably present features concentrated in the lower area, overcoming folds of flesh which symbolize prosperity and health or the spirit emerging from the waters. On this rare version sits a female figure. Painted black or tinted using a leaf wash, the mask was then rubbed with palm oil. Localized abrasions, drying cracks, signs of use. The Mende, Vaï and Gola cultures of Sierra Leone, Liberia and the west coast of Guinea are known for their helmet masks, including those of the Sandé female initiation society which prepares young people girls at the wedding. These masks are made by men and worn by women.

During difficult discussions, dark-colored African masks punu were used. This type of vigilante mask danced during the ikwara dance. The face with gracefully proportioned features, topped with a single domed shell, has lips colored with pink ocher pigments. Matte dark patina, erosions and gaps.
Height on base: 46 cm.
The white masks of Gabon, itengi, (pl. bitengi) were associated with the different secret societies of Gabon, including the Bwiti, Bwete, and the Mwiri ("to lead"), the latter ranging in several levels of initiation, to which all Punu men belonged, and whose emblem was the caiman. The Punu did not use any mask in the Bwiti rituals, unlike the Tsogo. These powerful secret societies, which also had a judicial function, had several dances, including the leopard ...

Ex-collection of French African art.
African statues of lineage or clan leaders in the tribal art of the Mbede, Mbete, or Ambete.
This version of the reliquary is illustrated by the arrangement and rhythm of its colored planes and by the sober geometry of the facial features. The cult of onkani ancestors, among the Mbete, is surrounded by African figures such as this sculpture whose dorsal cavity conceals baby bird down and fragments of feathers. Matte patina, desiccation cracks, erosions.
The Mbete form a people of Gabon, on the border of Middle Congo, neighboring the Obamba and the Pounou, whose history has been marked by a long-term conflict against the Teke. They do not have a centralized political organization and practice ancestor worship.

African statuette depicting a subject with prominent features including bulbous eyes and a sagittal braid forming a loop. The subject adopts an unusually hunched posture, thumbs together extended forward.
The body is streaked with scarified marks. Chipped brown patina.
The Vere, Verre , Were, Duru-Verre, or even Dii, live in the northeast of Nigeria, in the state of Adamawa (former Gongola), and in the north of Cameroon. This very small population lives in circular huts grouped into fortified villages.
The Vere statuettes, whose function remains unknown, are rare, and present analogies with the works produced by the Mumuye, their close neighbors established between Nigeria and Cameroon.

The design of this helmet mask, featuring a crest and forward arching horns, expresses power. The very geometric face is extended by a short outgrowth depicting a beard. The geometric polychromy, faintly visible, peels off locally.
Desication cracks.
These heavy masks, whose design usually revolves around a hemispherical helmet with a crest or horned growths, occurred during agricultural rituals in order to restore the balance of the earth. Their significance was revealed during the initiation of young boys.
Mandingo people, most of whom live in eastern Burkina Faso, but also in southern Mali, the culture of the Bobo Fing is similar to that of the Bambara. They are organized into lineages headed by councils of elders. In each village altars are erected under the ...

In the north of Benoué, this type of anthropomorphic sculptures are used during funerals, agricultural festivals or in cases of danger. Their role is that of mediator between the afterlife and the priest. Partially shiny dark patina, grainy residue with a matte appearance. Erosions and desiccation cracks.

The Jukuns are a population of West and Central Africa living mainly in Nigeria in the upper Benue Valley, also in the northwest of Cameroon.
The Southern Jukun have of a tradition of masks, including the male akuma mask linked to the cult of the same name and of which four types were listed by A.Rubin. They often have horns evoking the ram or the antelope, in relation to the Akuma cult. The statues are rare, and relate to the Mam cult widespread in eastern Nigeria. They ...

Equipped with frightening features, this type of African initiation mask, Mbuya, of the Pende, was supposed to incorporate a particularly threatening character.
Black patina, drying cracks, abrasions. Height on base: 50 cm.

The Western Pende live on the banks of the Kwilu, while the Easterners have established themselves on the banks of the Kasai downstream of Tshikapa. The Mbuya masks, realistic, produced every ten years, have a festive function, and embody different characters difficult to differentiate without their costume, including the fumu or chief. ufumu, the diviner and his wife, the prostitute, the jester, tundu, the possessed, etc... Mbuya initiation masks linked to mukanda< initiation /i> and those of power, the minganji, represent the ancestors and ...

Nature spirits, the ngesh , were believed to be embodied in Kuba masks during the dances. The footprints of the dancers were then erased so as not to "hurt" the women venturing into the dance area. The mask on the other side appeared during initiation ceremonies, sometimes at the funerals of notables. This warrior mask, not belonging to the royal masks, named Ishyeen imaalu and also Pwoom itok , belonged to the babende society. It has exorbitant conical pupils set off by eyebrows extended with horns that refer to warrior headdresses. The pigments of the decorative motifs remain very weakly visible. Misses and cracks of desiccation. Height on base: 44 cm. The Kuba kingdom was founded in the 16th century by the main Bushoong tribe which is still ruled by a king today, and whose ...

This Lobi statuette "Bateba" was placed on the altar after a ritual to become the receptacle of a bush spirit, the Thil, and thus become an active being, an intermediary who fights against sorcerers and all other evil forces. The small spherical head, slightly tilted to the side, surmounts a narrow bust with drooping shoulders and arms that are placed alongside the body. The figure stands upright on wide feet. Golden brown glossy surface showing the wood grain.
When honored, these spirits manifest their benevolence in the form of abundant rains, good health, numerous births; Ignored, they withdraw it and bring devastating epidemics, drought and suffering.
These spirits transmit to the diviners the laws that the followers must follow to receive their protection.
They ...

This female figure with slender arms, an arched bust, wears traditional scarifications and tattoos. The body stretched forward, the hands resting on the abdomen, highlight the umbilicus, symbol of filiation. Cracks and abrasions. Satin patina.
The Senoufos, the name given to them by French settlers, are mainly made up of farmers who have dispersed between Mali, Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso. Councils of elders, headed by an elected chief, administer Senufo villages. Each of them has its own Poro association which initiates young boys from the age of seven in a succession of three cycles lasting seven years. They gather in a sacred enclosure called sinzanga located near the village, among the trees. Upon the death of one of the members of the Poro, the statues named pombibele were ...