Standing male figure with drinking horn ·  Cameroon, Bangwa · ID: 3037106

Description

wood, encrusted greyish brown patina, the figure is naked and without any decoration, the belly exceedingly vaulted, facial features surprisingly naturalistic (eyes, cheeks, mouth part), carved-out receptacle at the back, there is a faint dynamic in the figure, shoulders and head are slighty turned, slightly dam., minor missing parts (feet), traces of insect caused damage (back of the head), base;
presumably representing a fetish figure used for disclosure of witchcraft directed towards kin or members of the community. Their potency is increased by libations and magic substances inserted into the body in carved-out receptacles. For a memorial figure present statuette is too small, furthermore there is no embellishment at all. Figures serving sooth sayers on the other hand are smaller than present figure.

Comparing literature

Northern, Tamara, The Art of Cameroon, Washington D.C. 1984, p. 88