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BLANCHET & Associés
216
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Kwele altar figure, Gabon, wood, pigment, H.
See original version (French)
216
-
Kwele altar figure, Gabon, wood, pigment, H.
See original version (French)
Estimate €400 - €600
Voluntary lot
Description
Kwele altar figure, Gabon, wood, pigment, H.40cmxW.20cm. All Kwele cult objects, carved from fairly light wood, were emblems of the notability of the beete initiation society, which brought together notables and warriors. Through its rituals, the beete mobilised the community's magical forces to resolve crisis situations, ward off danger or promote collective village life, particularly hunting. The objects of the beete were kept in a hut used as a secret meeting place for the initiates, and these altar figures were its most important symbols. This is demonstrated by the presence of the seat, which underlines the veneration due to the ancestor represented, but above all by the pieces of wood taken from the surface of the seat, used as magical ingredients by the community.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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