African Arts Gallery

Piece from the collection of African art Emmanuel Philippe Salembier.

Such statues named Bonganga-Nganga are for rythes funeral.

These coffins are réaslisées statues in honor of dignitaries, often distinguished hunters.

And the remains of the deceased are exhumed and placed in these statues. These are placed in huts on the same location of the graves.

Such statues are distinguished by a large polychrome.

Benin altar heads in bronze, surmounted by a horn in bronze, sometimes in ivory.

The  commemorative head of a Chieftain  that bears the insignia of a high ranked dignitary, is one of the main characteristics of the altar. The worshipper thanks the head with his offerings and sacrifices. To the Chieftain this altar has a privacy meaning and is placed at the center (the heart) of the house. On the other hand, the ancestors altar is found in the first room, that is allowed to the strangers. Put on the ancestor altar, the head symbolizes the Chieftain  ability to reign and prosper.

In Benin art, the leopard is the ultimate representation of the Oba. As well as the latter that the leopard shares the same honorary designation of Ekpene. Domesticated, leopards were in the royal menagerie. Leopards bronze decorated the royal altars. Male Leopard : 91cm x 74cm, 27 kg Female Leopard : 78cm x 65cm, 20 kg

Exceptional Tikar Throne.The Tikar are Pygmy people which are found in West Cameroon. They are a well mixed new population because traditionally conquering. They submit to the traditional chiefdoms' system inserted within broader historical kingdoms. Their settlement has been testified on the Cameroonese ground since the XIXe century.

Extraordinary Calao statue of Senoufo ethnos group. Calao is the incarnation of the Master of water. In Senoufo cosmogony the calao, kind of toucan of the forests belongs to the five animals which appear in the myth of the creation of the world.

Exceptional femal Djenne statue in Bronze. In statuary Djenne, tradition dictates that the face is oval, constructed, often in two layers. The eyes are prominent, raised and shaped like almonds. They are surrounded by concentric folds, representing the eyelids and eyelashes. The eyebrows are represented by scarification.

Very old seat of Dogon cheffery finely decorated. This sit is made up of a buffalo symbol of strength, heat, and of plenitude. It refers to Sigui of Dogons which is celebrated every sixty years taking again the Malinké calendar. Thus at the latter the figure sixty indicates the Buffalo, which under the sign of Sirius, would regulate l' antique Malinké calendar of which a century counts 60 years. The back of the seat is decorated d' a crocodile/caiman symbol of the Master of the banks which evic l' seniority and longevity. Exceptional part.

The toguna (“shelter of the men”) is the place where the men meet to discuss of the village organization. It is also a Community place where the word of old makes law. It can exist a central toguna at the village, but also other small toguna secondary of district. This shelter open is generally made up of eight pillars which support beams, themselves covered eight thicknesses with dependent straw in faggots. These eight levels, as well as the eight pillars, refer to the eight ancestral nommo who are the origin of lhumanity (Dogon cosmogony). The roof is low, thus obliging the men to remain sitted lasting the discussions. These pillars are generally decorated by a dege (protective genius with the multiple significances). Although Toguna is reserved to the men, the posts are often carved ...

This very rare piece is still used by many villagers during harvest festivities. These stones are then adorned with white, red and blue pigments, featuring peace, bravery and fertility.

Couple of Benin bronze leopards. This bronze sculpture is world wide famous among collectors of Benin bronze. The leopard was a sign of royalty in the Benin kingdom. Large bronze leopard sculptures were cast in the King's palace in Benin. The leopards are designed with unique engravings and as with the other Benin bronzes cast using the lost wax process, the leopards are hollow.

Exceptional Tikar Throne.The Tikar are Pygmy people which are found in West Cameroon. They are a well mixed new population because traditionally conquering. They submit to the traditional chiefdoms' system inserted within broader historical kingdoms. Their settlement has been testified on the Cameroonese ground since the XIXe century.

Magnificent Oba King made of bronze from Benin . Benin art is described as a court art, for it is closely associated with the King, known under the name Oba. The history of court objects made of Ifé bronze comes from the XIVe century.The numerous heads and statues in Bronze produced by Benin craftmen were strictly destined for the personal use of the palace's inhabitants., and were , more often than not put on altars which were consacrated by the new Oba. Heads, statues , ivory tusks and bells and sticks used to surmount these altars, rectangulars in shape. They reminded of an Oba and were used to get in touch with his spirit.

Magnificent lost-wax casting object, representing  a Tikar maternity. Sit on a regal stool, she holds a child and is about to feed him. Of high lineage, she is adorned with jewels, earrings, necklaces and anklets. The coiffure is well elaborated and many ritual scarifications cover her body.  The highly toothed mouth is hypertrophied, eyes are stretched down. An unique finely worked object.