Lot n° 34
Estimation :
120000 - 150000
EUR
Ɵ Large seated figure Djenne,Inner Niger... - Lot 34 - Giquello
Ɵ Large seated figure Djenne,Inner Niger Delta, Mali Time period: 1100/1400 AD. Terracotta Scientific report by Mrs Francine Maurer of 1987 Scanning by Dr Marc Ghysels H. 58,4 cm - L. 36,8 cm - D. 31,1 cm Important seated man, Djenne, Delta of interior Niger, Mali H. 23 in - W. 14 ½ in - D. 12 ¼ in
Provenance:
- Hélène and Philippe Leloup, Paris
- Private collection
Publication:
- Bernard de Grunne, Djenne - Jeno - 1000 Years of Terracotta Statuary in Mali, Mercatorfonds, Brussels, 2014, No. 165
THE LARGE DJENNÉ-JENO STATUARY A MILLENNIUM GIFT FROM THE NIGER RIVER The large seated sculpture, with a spherical head, feline ears, elongated torso, bent knees, and arms carelessly resting on the thighs is the largest known example of the Preclassic style. This Preclassic style is one of my favorites because of the imposing monumentality of the figures, the subtle naturalism of their modeling and their extraordinary presence. I have never been able to pinpoint the geographic origin of this style, which is unique in this body of work. Among the characteristics of this style are the unique proportions of the head, which is very small in relation to the rest of the body, which may indicate a possible link to the proto-classical style. The head is spherical in shape, with small, protruding bat ears and a prognathic face that resembles that of primates, giving the figure an almost animal-like appearance. The modelling is on the whole rather soft and relaxed, which gives the impression of great peace, as if these human beings were expectant though vigilant. Some are holding a small sceptre or fly swatter. Three types of hairstyles can be distinguished: some figures are bald; others have their hair gathered in a cone at the top of the head; and still others wear it falling over their shoulders. All of them are dressed in a kind of breeches or short loincloth. They usually wear large bracelets and one or two necklaces, one made of one or more round beads and the other of one or more tubular beads. Given the stylistic unity detectable among all the pre-classical figures, it can be assumed that they were produced by the same artist, either for a very important altar or to honour a founding hero and his descendants. (...)
My fieldwork in the Inner Niger Delta proves that their terracotta statuary represents the gods of the ancient inhabitants of this region. Some of these gods are considered to be the deified ancestors of famous founding kings and queens of the delta. These statues were not the work of a single ethnic group, and were used by members of any ethnic group who decided to worship them. If this pan-ethnic use is confirmed, it can be concluded that this corpus of statues was part of a religious cult widely practiced in the Inner Niger Delta. Therefore, although secondary to the physical environment of the statuary, religion is a crucial factor in determining this artistic style.
The statues were worshipped in special shrines, which were, according to my informants, the first buildings constructed when new villages were founded. An important aspect of the rituals involving these statues was the offering of human and animal sacrifices, in which the worshipper adopted the same position as the statue he was confronted with. The fact that people today, who may be descendants of the creators of this statuary, still remember certain ritual postures is a testament to the importance, spread and persistence of this cult in the Inner Niger Delta.
This raises an important issue. Since the worshipper adopts an attitude similar to that of the statue of the god standing before him, one could conclude that the purpose of these postural prayers was for the worshipper to experience the divine himself. The statues were sacred images used to elicit a mystical state allowing the worshipper to experience the fusion between himself and his god. It can also be suggested that, by adopting these postures, he was ritually inviting the god inhabiting the statue to take possession of him. One of the main formal features of this statuary - the protruding eyes - may symbolize this state of possession.
Another aspect that should be explored in the study of the Inner Niger Delta is the relationship between hieroglyphs and posturality. By adopting certain ritual postures, the worshipper of the Inner Niger Delta creates a sacred space around him, just as the voodoo worshipper traces sacred veve symbols on the ground. The symbolic relationships between the two-dimensional signs and their embodiments are not always clear.
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