Ceremonial dance MARKA mask, Mali circa 1930’s. Collection Agogue, Paris, France

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Tribal Art - African Art 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...

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