Kota peoples, Gabon
Late 19th to early 20th century
Wood, brass, copper, bone, iron
51 x 24 x 5 cm (20 1/16 x 9 7/16 x 1 15/16 in.)
2005-6-105, gift of Walt Disney World Co., a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company (cat. no. 28)
More/Less Information
A masterwork of abstract, geometric shapes, this stylized human form once guarded ancestral bones preserved in large baskets. While the transverse crest of the coiffure and the large concave face are striking, the most unique feature is the small face on the back. Perhaps the ritual efficacy of the figure was better with two pairs of eyes. Because metal was a precious material, the metal surface on this figure serves as both an offering of wealth and a tangible metaphor for diverting harm.
|
