Standing female figure "kamba" ·  Sierra Leone, Mende · ID: 3045737

Description

wood, shiny black patina, silver sheet metal, rep. cracks

Two figures, probably from the same workshop, depicted in Gottschalk (2011), ill. 156 and 157 (see also AHDRC 0112702 and 0112748).

The original name of the figures as “minsereh” is based on a phonetic misunderstanding. Rather, the figures represent “minsile”, which means something like “spirit being” and are called by the Mende “kambeisia” (sing. “kamba”).

The object Standing female figure “kamba” with the object ID 3045737 was part of the auction 92nd Tribal Art Auction on June 29, 2019. The object with the lot number 116 achieved a sales price of EUR 6,000 with an asking price of EUR 2,000.

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Comparing literature

Gottschalk, Burkhard, Bundu Masken und Statuen aus privaten Sammlungen, Düsseldorf 2011, ill. 156 f.