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Lot Essay
Acquise par Alain Lagarde vers 1930, cette sculpture kota archaïque a été redécouverte après avoir fait partie de la collection familiale pendant plus de 90 ans. D'une qualité sculpturale exceptionnelle, elle incarne les composantes formelles fondamentales du reliquaire Kota-Obamba, tout en intégrant des éléments uniques dans sa conception, ce qui en fait un exemple rare de ce style. Des bandes cruciformes divisent le visage en quatre quadrants et un losange partiel finement patiné forme la base de cette figure : ces deux éléments font allusion au cosmos et au voyage d'un être à travers la vie et l'au-delà. Les yeux et le nez sont superposés sur le visage à l'endroit où les deux bandes métalliques les plus épaisses se croisent, tandis qu'un élégant motif en relief, en forme de V, émane des yeux vers chaque bord du visage. De fines bandes de métal ont été appliquées sur chacun des quatre quadrants, dont certaines ont été perdues, révélant une patine brillante et riche, témoignant de l’ancienneté de cette œuvre. Une paire de lobes compacts rayonnent sur les côtés du visage, chacun étant ponctué de deux rangées de trous en relief, tandis qu'un élément arqué au sommet de la tête est finement orné d'un motif de hachures croisées. Une barbe stylisée très rare, composée de quatre chevilles en bois recouvertes de métal et s'étendant vers le bas à partir du menton, démontre également l'ingéniosité du métallurgiste. Compte tenu des connaissances ésotériques nécessaires pour maîtriser les « forces dangereuses en jeu dans l'extraction des minerais et leur transformation en créations esthétiques », les auteurs d'œuvres telles que celle-ci étaient des membres influents de leur communauté, vénérés pour leur maîtrise de compétences inhabituelles et leur relation avec les royaumes surnaturels.1
1LaGamma, A., Eternal Ancestors. The Art of the Central African Reliquary, New York, 2007, p. 232.
Acquired by Alain Lagarde around 1930, this archaic kota has been rediscovered after residing in the family’s collection for more than 90 years. It demonstrates exceptional sculptural quality and it embodies the fundamental formal components of Kota-Obamba reliquary, while incorporating unique elements in its design, making it a rare example of its type. Cruciform bands divide the face into four quadrants and a finely patinated partial lozenge forms the base of this figure: both elements allude to the cosmos and a being’s journey through life and the afterlife. Its eyes and nose are superimposed on the face where the two thicker metal bands cross, while an elegant V-shaped embossed design emanates outwards from the eyes towards each edge of the face. Thin metal strips have been applied to each of the four quadrants, some of which have been lost, revealing a glossy, rich patination, testifying to the significant age of this work. A pair of compact lobes radiate from the sides of the face, each one punctuated with two rows of embossed holes, while an arched element at the crown of the head is finely ornamented with a cross-hatch design. A highly rare stylized beard composed of four metal-covered wooden pegs extending downwards from the chin, further demonstrates the ingenuity of the metalsmith. Given the esoteric knowledge needed to master the “dangerous forces at play in the extraction of ores and their transformation into aesthetic creations”, the authors of works such as this one were influential members of their communities, revered for their mastery of unusual skills and their relation to supernatural realms.1
1LaGamma, A., Eternal Ancestors. The Art of the Central African Reliquary, New York, 2007, p. 232.
1LaGamma, A., Eternal Ancestors. The Art of the Central African Reliquary, New York, 2007, p. 232.
Acquired by Alain Lagarde around 1930, this archaic kota has been rediscovered after residing in the family’s collection for more than 90 years. It demonstrates exceptional sculptural quality and it embodies the fundamental formal components of Kota-Obamba reliquary, while incorporating unique elements in its design, making it a rare example of its type. Cruciform bands divide the face into four quadrants and a finely patinated partial lozenge forms the base of this figure: both elements allude to the cosmos and a being’s journey through life and the afterlife. Its eyes and nose are superimposed on the face where the two thicker metal bands cross, while an elegant V-shaped embossed design emanates outwards from the eyes towards each edge of the face. Thin metal strips have been applied to each of the four quadrants, some of which have been lost, revealing a glossy, rich patination, testifying to the significant age of this work. A pair of compact lobes radiate from the sides of the face, each one punctuated with two rows of embossed holes, while an arched element at the crown of the head is finely ornamented with a cross-hatch design. A highly rare stylized beard composed of four metal-covered wooden pegs extending downwards from the chin, further demonstrates the ingenuity of the metalsmith. Given the esoteric knowledge needed to master the “dangerous forces at play in the extraction of ores and their transformation into aesthetic creations”, the authors of works such as this one were influential members of their communities, revered for their mastery of unusual skills and their relation to supernatural realms.1
1LaGamma, A., Eternal Ancestors. The Art of the Central African Reliquary, New York, 2007, p. 232.