African Arts Gallery

Deep volume on which the front face, flat and stretched, has very slightly asymmetrical, rough and yet expressive features, concentrated in the lower half. The half-circles of earlobes are drawn in relief on the contours, also flat, of the face. A thick, rounded jaw borders the mouth, which is simply incised into a rectangle. The light wood is coated with a dark, satin-like patina.
In the southern coastal region of Tanzania, around Dar-es-Salam, a relatively homogenous group has produced most of the artistic output. It includes the Swahili, Kaguru, Doé, Kwéré, Luguru, Zaramo, Kami. The second region consists of a territory covering the south of Tanzania to Mozambique, where some Makonde and the Yao, Ngindo, Mwera, and Makua live. In northeastern Tanzania, the Chaga, Paré, Chamba, Zigua, Maasai, Iraqw, Gogo, and Héhé have an artistic production with similarities to Malagasy and Batak art, which could be explained by trade by sea. The Luo, Kuria, Haya and Ziba, the Kéréwé, Karagwé, Sukuma and Nyamézi are established in the central west and central region of Tanzania. Along the shores of lakes Tanganyika and Nyasa, and Lake Nyassa, the Ha, Jiji, Bendé, Tongwé, Holoholo, Fipa, Manbwé, Kondé, Kisi and Ngoni produced figurative statues, terracotta sculptures and inserted masks of teeth.
Litt. The Tribal Art of Black Africa" J.B. Bacquart.