Bamileke Pipe Case, Cameroon, Early 20th Century.

Pipe case depicting a dignitary seated on a throne. The face, deliberately disproportionate to the body, attracts all the attention. The eyes, forming a disc surrounded by a ring, accentuate the figure's presence, while the half-open mouth reveals the teeth. The dignitary wears a circular headdress decorated with geometric patterns, and a circle engraved in the middle of the forehead. On either side of the face appear two pointed ears of animal appearance. The front surface and the back of the pipe are punctuated by incised circles, evoking the characteristic spots (rosettes) of the panther's fur. Brown terracotta, small old chip, good general condition, signs of use. Bamileke, Cameroon. Dimensions: 20.2 × 8 × 9.5 cm Among the Bamileke, carved pipes were prestigious objects reserved for chiefs and dignitaries. They accompanied ceremonies and demonstrated the authority of power. The reference to the panther, a royal totemic animal, underlines the chef's strength and vigilance. The cubist treatment of the face, the graphic stylization of the forms and the balance of the volumes give this stove a strikingly modern aesthetic, where art combines with the symbolism of power and animality.* Shipping costs on estimate.