Initiatory Statuette - Zigua - Central-west Tanzania - Early 20th Century - Primitive / Tribal Art

Statuette depicting a slender figure, his body swathed in fabric. The face, with its intense expression, is accentuated by inlaid red porcelain beads. Wood partially covered in fabric, old thick brown patina in places, signs of use. Zigua, Central-West Tanzania, early 20th century Dimensions: 21 x 4.5 cm – With base: 23.5 cm Provenance: former collection from northern France "This statuette was used in initiation rites as a teaching aid intended to transmit knowledge, stories and values within the initiatory society. Both a spiritual vector and a teaching tool, it could also represent a spirit or an ancestor. The way in which the body is wrapped in the fabric, leaving only the intensity of the face visible, is reminiscent of the contemporary works of Christo: a play on concealment, revelation and the symbolic charge of the wrapping gesture. This piece, at the crossroads of traditions and current plastic echoes, strikes with its enigmatic presence and formal refinement." Sold with a certificate of authenticity from the expert Serge Reynes, guarantee of origin and period. * Shipping costs on estimate.