"Fang Male Figure – Byeri Reliquary Guardian, Gabon / Equatorial Guinea"
A male statue with a rigid, concentrated posture, arms folded over the torso and bent legs. This figure was used to hold the bones of ancestors, preserved in relic boxes or baskets called byeri. Carved to embody the protective and spiritual presence of the deceased, it was displayed during rituals and then carefully preserved. Signs of wear and subsequent repairs testify to its antiquity and importance. The balance of volumes, the power of the lower body, and the sobriety of the face are characteristic of classic Fang aesthetics.
Late 19th - early 20th centuries
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