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a bronze sculpture of a horse on a pedestal with a black backgroundstatue of a person with a helmet on a black backgroundsculpture of a horse head with a spear on a standa close up view of a sculpture of a tree
FRANCOIS EPIN ART & DESIGN CONSULTING

359 - Bamana (Bambara), Mali, 20th century
See original version (French)

Estimate €300 - €600
Sale commission
Description
Bamana (Bambara), Mali, 20th century Crest from a Ciwara ritual headdress Male ‘vertical’ type Hardwood, patina from wear A stylised crest depicting an antelope in the so-called ‘vertical’ male style of Ciwara statuary. The elongated head, with a narrow muzzle, is surmounted by two long, tapered horns standing at an angle and engraved with oblique striations evoking their natural twist. A stylised mane, rendered as a series of juxtaposed curved strips forming an openwork arch, adorns the rear of the crest. The body, reduced to a stylised form, rests on four slender legs and forms the lower structure of the crest, which is designed to be attached to a woven headdress. Ciwara crests are associated with the men’s agricultural association of the same name and pay homage to the mythical figure to whom the Bamana attribute the teaching of agriculture. The performances celebrate, in particular, the farmers’ expertise and agricultural prosperity. The crests are traditionally presented in male and female pairs. The vertical type is particularly characteristic of certain Bamana regions and constitutes one of the major formal variants within the Ciwara corpus.
See original version (French)
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About the sale Sculptural furniture and functional art
Auction location
Auction time 09/27/2026 at 2:30 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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