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Euvrard & Fabre

189 - Tsogho, Gabon Reliquary head made of wood, brass and pigment…
See original version (French)

Estimate €500 - €700
Sale commission
Description
Tsogho, Gabon Reliquary head made of wood, brass and pigment H. 32 cm – W. 18 cm (on a plinth) The peoples of Central Gabon (Masango, Adouma and Mitsogho) from Fougamou on the Ngounié River as far as Lastoursville and southwards towards Mbigou, crafted commemorative figurines linked to ancestor worship, whether of lineages or brotherhoods. This is the Mbumba Bwiti. It is a stylised head, which may be in the Tsogho or Sango style, with a neck of varying length. Among the Mitsogho, the ancestral cult, practised at the family level, is called Mombé. The head of this reliquary, more or less ovoid in shape, features very pronounced arched eyebrows in relief, forming an inverted omega on either side of the nose, which is triangular and often merely sketched as a ‘nasal’ feature, as seen here. The domed forehead is often divided into two parts by a central metal plate, decorated with lines of dotted patterns (as is the case here). The hairstyle and the ears, set wide apart at the sides, merge into one another. The tubular eyes are enormous, as is the lipped mouth, which opens to reveal a few pointed wooden teeth.
See original version (French)
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About the sale AFRICAN ART – TERRACOTTA FROM THE INDUS VALLEY – PRE-COLUMBIAN ART – OCEANIAN ART – HOPI CULTURE
Auction location
Auction time 06/24/2026 at 1:30 PM
Ref. : 3358 - 227
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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