Royal memorial figure "lefem" ·  Cameroon, Bangwa/Bamileke · ID: 3040590

Description

wood, strongly encrusted blackish brown sacrificial patina, traces of soot (?), seated male figur with striking round hips and thin legs, crowned by a janus head, each of the faces carved with round cheeks, deeply hollowed eyes and thorn-like projecting forehead, a small oval disc on the head seems to close a cavity which might have been filled with magical ingredients, it is spread with blackish mass and set with cowrie shell, drilled hole at the same place, slightly dam., abrasion of patina, base;
just like most of the memorial figures depicted without any clothing but carved with necklace, bracelets and burled cap as symbols of dignity. The gesture of the hand up to the chin can often be found with male figures from the Bangwa region and might refer to a wise man. The mouth is opened as if speaking.

The object Royal memorial figure “lefem” with the object ID 3040590 was last part of the auction 83rd Tribal Art Auction at May 28, 2016 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 344 achieved a sales price of EUR 13,000.

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Publications

AHDRC: 0124420