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MILLON
226
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Dignitary bust with sagittal crest
Wood, old brown and honey…
See original version (French)
226
-
Dignitary bust with sagittal crest
Wood, old brown and honey…
See original version (French)
Estimate €250 - €350
Voluntary lot
Description
Dignitary bust
with sagittal crest
Wood, old brown and honey patina
Bembe, Kivu-Tanganyika region, Democratic Republic of Congo, 19th - early 20th century
15.5 × 6.5 cm
The Bembe people live in the regions between Lake Tanganyika and the Kivu highlands in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Close to many of the sculptural traditions of the Great Lakes region, they have developed an art form centred on ancestral figures, prestige objects and sculptures linked to mediation practices and the memory of lineages. The treatment of the faces often favours interiority and restraint rather than demonstrative expressiveness.
This small bust shows a seated figure wearing a high sagittal crest, a common feature in representations of dignitaries in this region. The watchful gaze, the pointed goatee and the absence of scarification marks accentuate the figure's calm, meditative character. The softness of the modelling, the balance of the volumes and the sobriety of the construction give this work a silent presence and a great plastic quality.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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