African Arts Gallery

French African art collection.
Groups living in Sierra Leone, Mende and Kissi, mostly rice farmers, worship stone statues from the Sapi kingdom. The latter extended, until the 16th century, from Guinea to Liberia.
The "nomoli" of the Mendé, placed on altars, benefited from libations in order to increase the harvest. These stone sculptures, mainly in steatite or saponite, called pombo (deceased) played on the other hand, among the Kissi of Guinea, a role of intermediary with the ancestors. The representations are varied, but one constant remains, the proportion of the head in relation to the body. Often depicted seated or squatting as is the case here, the characters offer exaggerated features and apparent teeth. A figure of a saurian crowns the head of the subject, its tail ...

Ex.Jacques Anquetil collection "Africa, the hands of the world" by J .Anquetil, ed. Solar ) by Jacques Anquetil , African art collector, actor originally, then initiated to weaving among the Dogon, author of several books.
Among the tribes living in Sierra Leone, Mende and Kissi, mostly rice farmers, worship stone statues dating from the Sapi kingdom. The latter extended, until the 16th century, from Guinea to Liberia. The Temné organized themselves into chiefdoms headed by a supreme chief. The ragbenle or mneke society, responsible for fertility, intervened when the chief died. The bundu ...

French African art collection.
The groups living in Sierra Leone, Mende and Kissi, mostly rice farmers, venerate stone statues dating from the Sapi kingdom. The latter extended, until the 16th century, from Guinea to Liberia. The "nomoli" of the Mende, placed on altars, were given libations to increase harvests. These stone sculptures, mostly made of steatite or saponite, called pombo (deceased) played, on the other hand, among the Kissi of Guinea, a role of intermediary with the ancestors . The representations vary from the most summary form to elaborate sculptures. This is a character standing on short bent legs, his hands meeting in front of a protruding bust, with striations. Height on base : 19 cm.

French African art collection.
Among the tribes living in Sierra Leone, Mende and Kissi, mostly rice farmers, worship stone statues dating from the Sapi kingdom. The latter stretched from Guinea to Liberia until the 16th century.The Temné organized themselves as chiefdoms led by a supreme leader. The company ragbenle or mneke, responsible for fertility, intervened at the death of the chief. The association bundu, meanwhile, prepared young girls for their adult lives. The Temne and Bullom made a lot of ivories "afro-Portuguese" following European orders. The Mendé's U-002nomoli", placed on altars, benefited from libations in order to increase harvests. These stone sculptures, mostly in steatite or saponite, called pombo (deceased) played, on the other hand, in the Kissi, a role of ...

Although smaller, it is a monolithic votive head Ekoi Cross River called "Akwanshi." Rare piece for amateur African art.

The character's face is deeply carved in basalt. These pieces were carved in tribute to the dead legendary. Today, the tradition continues. Thus, when the spiritual leader of the villages Ekoi dies (the Ntoon), a representative stone is 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.