A FINE KOTA RELIQUARY FIGURE

GABON

Details

A FINE KOTA RELIQUARY FIGURE
Gabon
The concave oval face below a convex forehead, a band of copper across the eyes with inset cowry shells, two iron tears below each eye, the lower face covered in brass with pierced crescent mouth surmounted by inset copper pins, a band of brass with rounded bosses across the brass-covered forehead, the rounded side panels each with brass-covered cylindrical pendant below, the broad crest above with cross-hatched incised triangle at the center, pierced lozenge body below with applied panels of incised brass, the eroded back with long slender lozenge in relief at the center.
23½ in. (59.7 cm.) high

Provenance

Julius Carlebach, New York, 1955

Lot Essay

See Chaffin, A. and F., L'Art Kota, n.d., pp.216-224, nos.115-125, for similar Kota reliquary figures belonging to the author's group 17. The group is characterized by the convex and concave face, the unornamented domed forehead and a band of metal across the eyes and a tranquil expression. The group is said to be very old with exceptional quality of craftsmanship and materials. Perrois (Arts du Gabon, Arnouville, 1978, colour plate facing fig.191) illustrates an extremely close example in the Itzikovitz collection with the same pins about the mouth and the iron "tears" which he attributes to the southern Kota.

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