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Description : African art. Mumuye, Nigeria. Janari anthropomorphic sculpture. Dark patina hardwood, kaolin. Flaws and signs of use. Ex-Enrico Prometti Collection. The art of the Mumuye, discovered and revealed to the Western world by Philippe Guimiot and Jacques Kerchache only in the 1960s, is among the most sought-after and celebrated by collectors of primitive African art. Their distinctive way of depicting the human figure with a few particularly succinct and expressive strokes is found masterfully expressed among the volumes of this important sculpture, which measures an impressive 81 centimeters in height. The mouth was made with only two hatchet strokes, while the eyes represented by two incised circles, in the purest Mumuye style, contain traces of the kaolin originally used. The body proves difficult not to categorize it as cubist, both in terms of the volumetric ratios between the torso and legs and the ingenious plastic solutions adopted for the arms, breasts and navel extrapolated from the full tree trunk. The graceful face turns out to be expressively surprised ( Janari means Speaking Figure) and characterized by clearly visible scarifications only on the right side, while the nose has a rare through-hole probably used for the insertion of a metal ring. Finally, the ears are missing and damaged in an identical manner: this suggests tribal ritual mutilation. Dense, thick, glossy patina covers the entire figure, except for a small detachment at the level of the left shoulder: almost a demonstrative essay on its thickness. The large Janari statues belonged to important figures, such as priests or healers, and the spirits dwelling within them were illuminated by the stars.. Cm 16,00 x 81,00 x 14,00.
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Estimate (low-high) : 5000 EUR-8000 EUR It's free to register now to view!

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