Fang Statue - Byeri-type Reliquary Head On Base
Fang statue (Gabon) - Byéri-type reliquary head, on base (circa 1970)
Fang wooden sculpture, active in Central Africa, particularly Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
This sculpture, made over fifty years ago, represents a stylized head with regular features: rounded forehead, half-closed eyes, straight nose and discreetly incised mouth. The hairstyle, structured in symmetrical lateral volumes, frames the face and contributes to the formal balance of the whole.
The sculpture is part of the corpus of objects linked to ancestor worship, known as Byéri (or Bieri). In this context, these figures were associated with the custody of funerary relics - bones or skull fragments - preserved in bark or basketry containers.
Placed atop these receptacles, they played an intermediary role during ritual consultations preceding important decisions (travel, community commitments, settlement choices or agricultural activities).
The treatment of the wood shows a dark patina, resulting from use and time, with visible traces of wear, particularly on the protruding volumes.
The piece is now mounted on a contemporary pedestal for stability and ease of presentation.
Provenance: private collection in Paris
Height: 34cm
Width: 15cm
Fang wooden sculpture, active in Central Africa, particularly Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
This sculpture, made over fifty years ago, represents a stylized head with regular features: rounded forehead, half-closed eyes, straight nose and discreetly incised mouth. The hairstyle, structured in symmetrical lateral volumes, frames the face and contributes to the formal balance of the whole.
The sculpture is part of the corpus of objects linked to ancestor worship, known as Byéri (or Bieri). In this context, these figures were associated with the custody of funerary relics - bones or skull fragments - preserved in bark or basketry containers.
Placed atop these receptacles, they played an intermediary role during ritual consultations preceding important decisions (travel, community commitments, settlement choices or agricultural activities).
The treatment of the wood shows a dark patina, resulting from use and time, with visible traces of wear, particularly on the protruding volumes.
The piece is now mounted on a contemporary pedestal for stability and ease of presentation.
Provenance: private collection in Paris
Height: 34cm
Width: 15cm
750 €
Period: 20th century
Style: Tribal Art
Condition: Good condition
Material: Solid wood
Width: 15cm
Height: 34cm
Reference (ID): 1744098
Availability: In stock
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