Figure de reliquaire Mbulu Ngulu Peuple Kota

Lot 96
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Estimation :
40000 - 60000 EUR
Result with fees
Result : 104 000EUR
Figure de reliquaire Mbulu Ngulu Peuple Kota
Mbulu Ngulu reliquary figure Kota people Gabon 19th century Copper and brass plated wood, metal H. 46 cm Provenance : Alain de Monbrison, Paris Max Itzikovitz Collection (Cassis sale), Paris The incessant migrations of the Kota populations led them to preserve their ancestral relics in baskets of bark or woven wicker, which were easy to carry. They were topped by a copper and brass plated wooden effigy that could be presented during the complex initiation ceremonies of young men. But more often than not, the baskets with the figure - or Mblulu Ngulu - were kept out of sight, except for the great initiates. Irradiating around a look made of two brass cupules, thin strips and two metal plates are stapled on the concave and almond-shaped face, their alternation participating in the decoration. The whole face, classical and very well proportioned, is framed by lateral wings and topped by the traditional crescent, which are soberly marked with pointillist ornamentation on their periphery. The short oblique pendants bring the final touch to a very balanced work with perfect dimensions. The delicacy of the neck is magnified by an elegant metal frame. On the reverse side, a diamond-shaped motif is described in high relief. Despite some small accidents on the metal, the regular plating on the wooden core by fine staples is precise and of great quality. The perfect proportions of this work, the meticulousness of its realization, make it a perfect testimony of the great Kota art. According to Alain and Françoise Chaffin, who have chosen a related object as the cover of their book, this mbulu-ngulu reliquary figure belongs to type 6 of their study, which brings together the most beautiful examples of the corpus.
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