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a close up of a wooden object on a black backgroundan image of a wooden statue with a hat on it ' s headan image of a piece of art that is on a tablean image of a sculpture of a man with a hat on his heada close up of a wooden object on a black backgrounda close up of a sculpture of a man with a beard on a black backgrounda close up of a white vase with a rope around itthree wooden objects are sitting on top of a black surface
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Estimate €800 - €1,200
Sale commission
Description
MBÉDÉ Reliquary box 20th century. Height: 67 cm. An IR spectroscopy dating certificate (G. Matthaes patent) from the Museo d’Arte e Scienza, Milan, no. 6AF-3665, indicates the date as 1937 ± 10 years. Hollowed-out trunk carved from hardwood. Kaolin (lempiémè) patina on the body. Headdress, neck and arms stained black. Eyes made of cowrie shells (Monetaria moneta). Latticed headdress. Clad in raffia fibre. The lid is formed by the head. Provenance: Pierre Redouin Collection. Bibliography: Published in *Le Souffle des Esprits*, Les Éditions de l’Amateur, Pierre & Hadrien Redouin, 2012, p. 161. Description: This is likely a shared reliquary intended for the relics of ancestors who had not distinguished themselves from ordinary mortals (this reliquary was, in a sense, a mass grave). Indeed, not all the deceased were held in equal veneration. Only remarkable individuals, who had led exemplary and/or extraordinary lives and had descendants, were venerated. The expression on the face, turned imploringly towards the heavens, is poignant.
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About the sale The Breath of the Spirits: The Collection of Pierre Redouin and Others
Auction location
Auction time 09/24/2026 at 2:30 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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