Male Statuette, Old Hardwood, Lobi Burkina Faso, 1st Half 20th Century, African Tribal Art

Male statuette representing a standing nude figure, arms at his sides, supported by massive and powerful legs. The belly is round, and the chest is discreetly sculpted in relief. The face, with half-closed eyes, exudes a beautiful internalized expression. The ears are sculpted in relief, and the skull, smooth and shaved, accentuates the verticality of the whole. Hard wood, old erosion of time on the lower part, brown and red patina. Marks of use and time, good general condition of conservation (see photos). Lobi, Burkina Faso, first half of the 20th century dimensions: 22.5 × 7 cm with base provenance: former Belgian collection Sold with certificate of authenticity from the expert Serge Reynes, guarantee of origin and period. Among the Lobi, the male bateba figures served as intermediaries between the spirit world and that of the living. Their presence in the domestic space made it possible to protect against social or spiritual imbalances. The stable postures, concentrated expression and frontality reinforce their ritual function as much as their visual authority.