Head sculpture
Eduardo Uhart, Paris, France
Description
wood, blackish-brown patina, clear forms, a self-absorped expression on the face, a beautiful formed head above all in profile, the coiffure arranged in exact grooves, a round section at the back of the head recessed, the concave vaulted facial plane confined by a heart-shaped contour, eyes with cowry shell inlay, enclosed by blackish mass for fixing, drilled earlaps, slightly dam., minor missing parts (ears, mouth), base;
presumably the head comes from a male/female couple depicting “seto” and his sister spouse “nabo”, a pair of figures which form the basis of Bwaka sculpture. They vary in form from personal charms to almost life-sized figures. They are placed on an altar each day and offerings are made to avoid misfortune. They functioned as guardians of the owners and their families and drove away the evil spirits that caused sickness and death, made crops fail and hunts go badly, and brought about miscarriages. The head might as well come from an anthropomorphic harp or originate from a hunting charm or fetish. The two holes at the back of the head might refer to suspension.