Female shrine figure · Burkina Faso, Nako region, Lobi / Pwa/ Puguli (Pougouli)/ Jaa · ID: 3047351

Name: Female shrine figure
SKU: 3047351
Availability: Discontinued

not available anymore

Provenance

Enrico Prometti, Bergamo, Italy

Size

H: 45 cm

H: 17.7 inch

Description

wood, rest. (left arm and part of the right leg), base

This figure can be assigned to the so-called “Kelkoa style”. Characteristic for this style are especially the prominent eyes, which are surrounded by concentric rings. This characteristic gave the sculptures the somewhat flappy name “Lobi with glasses”. According to information collected on site, this special form of the eyes is said to reproduce the facial expression of a possessed person (Fischer / Homberger 2014, p. 189).

A stylistically very similar figure illustrated in Fischer / Homberger, p. 192, ill. 263. Both figures show great similarities in body structure (massive angular shoulder area, broad, short neck) and, in addition to the striking eye shape, show an unusually disc-shaped, flattened mouth and noticeably deep-set ears.

The object Female shrine figure with the object ID 3047351 was last part of the auction 96th Auction at April 24, 2021 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 166.

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Comparing literature

Fischer, Eberhard & Lorenz Homberger, Afrikanische Meister, Kunst der Elfenbeinküste, Zürich 2014, p. 192, ill. 263 Meyer, Piet, Kunst und Religion der Lobi, Zürich 1981, ill. 42 f.