Yoruba Style Currency Neck Torque

Bamana tribe art is known for masks, textiles and architectural elements. This Y-shaped post supported a heavy roof timber and acted as a welcoming symbol...

This exceptionally life-like antique sculpture is carved from linden wood and once decorated a French church or cathedral. The figure stands authoritatively, with right arm raised and index finger extended toward heaven. It probably stood on a base in a side chapel. According to Christian iconography of the period, this gesture signifies that salvation comes only through baptism. The figure wears a girdle of animal fir, probably from a bear, making symbolic reference to St. John the Baptist's life in the wilderness of Judea, between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. The elegantly carved robe is a baroque element that adds a sense of motion and energy to the artwork. Originally, the sculpture was polychromed, but the original pigments have weathered away and been replaced with whitewash. Repairs, losses, and insect damage are minor and expected due to great age. many vintage and antique religious sculptures...