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Descripción : Fang Female Reliquary Figure, Betsi Group, Gabon eyema byeri Wood with black patina Height 21in (53.3cm) Provenance Pierre Langlois (1927-2015), Lille Mrs. Mengin Gallery, Paris, 1960s or earlier Merton D. Simpson Gallery, New York (inv. no. 3450), by the 1970s Daniel and Mariam Malcolm Collection, Tenafly, New Jersey Pace Primitive Gallery, New York, acquired from the above in 1980 Balene C. McCormick Collection, Santa Fe, acquired from the above on 3 March 1982 French Private Collection 'The Fang, made up of various groups, occupy north-western Gabon and are also found in Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon. Still alive at the start of the 20th century, the rites linked to byeri, ancestor worship, made it possible to come into contact with the dead in order to obtain their protection. The spirits of the deceased were summoned to ceremonies during which reliquary boxes were used surmounted by carved figures watching over the sacred content. These sculptures were either seated on the edge of the box or driven into it with a stick. Naturalist in style, they belong to regional styles that differ in the treatment of the body. Their hairstyle, made of braids in the shape of a helmet, is reminiscent of traditional adornments. The works are generally covered with a black patina which sometimes still oozes. Small parts were sometimes taken from the sculptures for therapeutic purposes.' (Musée Dapper, Web, ND) One of the most iconic sculptural traditions in African art are the Fang reliquary figures which served to protect the relics of important ancestors preserved in containers. The most widely known figures derive from the southern betsi style which display compact, round and powerful volumes, with monumental heads, arms folded in front of the body with hands clasped or holding an offering cup. Carved in seated positions, the trunks are short and solid with stocky legs and large, muscular calves. While most depict male figures, we see in the present example the depiction of a female being elevated to the rank of the venerable ancestor. Her head is broad at the brow, narrow at the chin and is supported by a thick neck. Her facial features and bowl show wear and erosion. The proportions of the body are masterfully balanced. The thick black layers of the surface residue throughout are hardened. Cf. Perrois, Louis, Ancestral Art of Gabon, Barbier-Mueller Museum, Switzerland, 1985, fig. 71; LaGamma, Alisa, Eternal Ancestors - The Art of the Central African Reliquary, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2007, fig. 28; and The Musée Dapper, Paris, inv. no. 2235 For further information on this lot please visit the website
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