Reliquary Head of the Fang-Betsi, "Nlo Byeri"

Gabon, Vallée de l’Okano Region, 41 cm (1' 4") Reliquary heads of this type rank among the most significant examples of traditional Fang art. They served to protect the relics of revered ancestors while simultaneously embodying their spiritual presence. As guardians of ancestral relics, they occupied a central position in the religious and social life of the community. The present reliquary head is distinguished by its elongated, post-like neck with a prominently defined Adam’s apple, surmounted by a carefully carved and highly expressive head. The eyes are accentuated by inserted brass pins, lending the face an intense and penetrating expression. An elaborately fashioned coiffure, parted above the forehead, forms the uppermost feature. Particularly remarkable is a narrow slit extending from the bridge of the nose to the hairline, terminating in an opening intended to receive magical substances. Feathers, small leafy twigs, and other materials impregnated with sacrificial or ritual substances could be attached here to enhance the spiritual potency of the object. The surface displays age-related traces of insect damage, bearing witness to the long history of this extraordinary ritual object. A comparable example is illustrated in the publication Les Forêts natales, p. 60, fig. 99. The impressive combination of a strictly restrained sculptural language, meticulous carving, and ritually significant details makes this reliquary head a remarkable example of the traditional sculptural art of the Fang-Betsi. Provenance: Miquel Porta, Spain; Gerhard F. Vesely, Austria. Estimate: € 8000 - 10000 Starting bid: € 5000

Estimación:8.000€

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