African Fine Arts - AFRICAN-ART

Rare and old, this guardian figure was inserted into a reliquary basket, known as bwete. The basket is dedicated to ancestor spirits by the Mahongwe, a subgroup of the Kota people of Gabon. Of a semi-oblong form with a slightly concave surface, the figure is an abstract human face topped by a short finial and supported on a long stem that terminates in an age and element fragmented base. It is covered in tightly and evenly wound copper strips, a long, narrow, flattened copper plate forming a medial divide for two small conical eyes and a narrow triangular nose all close set in relief. The back is covered in broader strips of copper plate with rows of geometric designs in low relief. The dull patina indicates the age and use of this excellent specimen.