Protective figure "bateba ti puo" · Burkina Faso, Lobi · ID: 3040883
Hans Reinmöller, Ratingen, Germany (1991)
Description
wood, matt greyish brown patina, slightly dam., cracks, various drilled holes (head, stomach), traces of insect caused damage (right arm, stomach, left leg), base;
present figure belongs to the type of “dangerous persons” (“ti puo”), they show a defense attitude, elevating one or both hands next to the head to block the house for invisible enemies, they are even more effective in fighting witches. Women of the Lobi show this gesture after the death of a family member in order to ward off evil.
The object Protective figure “bateba ti puo” with the object ID 3040883 was part of the auction 84th Tribal Art Auction on November 5, 2016. The object with the lot number 167 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,800 with an asking price of EUR 1,200.
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