Mumuye Female Statue From Nigeria

A highly interesting antique Mumuye sculpture from Nigeria. Carved from dense wood with a fine patina—glossy in areas and encrusted in others—it stands 56 cm tall. The feet show erosion from age, but otherwise, the piece is in good condition; there are traces of white kaolin pigment highlighting the ears and eyes, and a hint of reddish color on the mouth. It is quite rare to encounter a Mumuye figure with such finely carved facial features, including a slender nose and a beak-like mouth. A bone element passes through the neck. An indigenous staple reinforces the right side of the head, testifying to the former African owner's desire to preserve the sculpture. "Mumuye" is a generic term referring to the various groups of settled farmers inhabiting the rocky mountains south of the Benue River. Michel Guimiot, a French art dealer based in Brussels, was among the first to discover these modernist-style figures around 1966. A fine collector's piece; please also view my other exceptional items, some of which originate from prestigious collections (e.g., Kerchache, Vérité, Dartevelle, Nicaud, Lehuard, Piazzini, Maud and René Garcia, Rasmussen, Ratton, Huguenin, Marceau Rivière, etc.). Free worldwide shipping.