Gabonese Figurative Sculptures

African Hand-Carved Wood Decorative Figurative Reliquary from Gabon 20th Century Offered for sale is an African hand-carved wood decorative reliquary from Gabon dating to the mid-la...

A wonderful Punu wooden door panel (one of the original pair) with the iconic carved female figure circa mid-20th century. These door panels were used for granary in Gabon. The door ...

A truly fantastic, engaging, and uniquely made African Kota Mahongwe Hongwe Reliquary Guardian Figure/ Sculpture made by the Kota (Bakota) pe...

Early Danced Black Wood Mask From the Guro Peoples Ivory Coast Bird on top. Finely carved mask with carved open eyes, and pointed nose and slightly smiling mouth. It is in good co...

Early and rare mask from Gabon, Central Africa, created by the Tsogho peoples. Powerful large mask with carved open eyes, and black painted eyes above, below heavy carved eyebrows. ...

Fang Male Reliquary Figure (Bieri Style), Fang-Betsi Subgroup, Gabon, Circa 1950s Carved from dense hardwood, this 19-inch-tall figure with dark, very beautiful patina, stands in a composed stance, holding a small box-like object close to the chest—a gesture associated with protection or ritual offering. Height: 19 in. (48.3 cm) x Width: 5 in. (12.8 cm) x Depth: 5 in. (12.8 cm) without base. Height: 21 in 1/4 (54 cm) x Width: 5 in 7/8. (15 cm) x Depth: 5 in 1/2 (14 cm) with base. Provenance: Multiple successive collections, France. According to the previous owner, this sculpture was originally brought from Gabon to France during the colonial period and passed through several private collections thereafter. While we have no documentation to verify the original import date, we conservatively date the piece to the mid-20th century, corresponding to the period it remained in the collection of the prior owner. This powerful male figure exemplifies the classical aesthetic and spiritual principles of the Fang Bieri tradition, specifically aligned with the Betsi subgroup. Standing in a rigid frontal stance, the figure clutches a small object close to its chest, a gesture commonly associated with ritual offering, protection, or ancestral invocation. Carved from an exceptionally hard and heavy wood, the figure is marked by a rich, dark patina acquired through age and possible ritual handling. The anatomical emphasis—particularly the pronounced musculature, exaggerated genitalia, and the expressive weight of the limbs—evokes the Fang ideals of vitality, fertility, and ancestral potency. The oversized head, with its serene, meditative expression and stylized features, conveys a sense of introspective calm and spiritual authority. The schematic coiffure, carved in ridged vertical bands, further confirms its alignment with traditional depictions of respected male elders. The figure belongs to the Bieri tradition, an ancestral cult that functioned as the cornerstone of Fang spiritual and social identity for centuries. As the Fang people migrated southward through Equatorial Africa—from present-day Cameroon into northern Gabon—they carried bark containers (called nsek bieri) holding the skulls of revered ancestors. These containers were typically surmounted by carved guardian figures like this one, which both protected the sacred...

African Kota People, Gabon Carved, Metal Reliquary Pipe on Stand, 20th Century Offered for sale is an African hand-carved wood and hammered metal reliquary pipe on stand from the Ko...