African Arts Gallery

Used as an amulet credited with apotropaic virtues, this small bronze sculpture constitutes, for the Sao, a talisman supposed to protect them from madness. It is therefore worn permanently. The genius who possesses the madman is represented by the rider, the horse representing the victim. This horseman wearing a cheche rides an equine which was a rare attribute of prestige in these regions of the Sahel.
The Sao, ancestors of the Kotoko, were established between the 12th and 14th centuries in a geographical area extending over the borders between Chad, northern Cameroon and Nigeria. They established themselves on hills, which enabled them to repel invaders. Subjected to successive attacks from their neighbors in Kanem and then to hordes from the East, the Sao had to abandon their ...

Ancestor figure, talisman of individual protection, green patina rubbed with pink ocher for a ritual purpose.
The Vili, the Lâri, the Sûndi, the Woyo, the Bembe, the Bwende, the Yombé and the Kôngo constituted the Kôngo group, led by King Ntotela. With the same beliefs and traditions, they produced a statuary endowed with a codified gesture in relation to their vision of the world. The nganga, both healers, were in charge of religious activities and mediation with the God called Nzambi through consecrated figures. Nkisis protective figures are crafted and charged by the nganga with all the necessary ingredients to combat a variety of ailments.
Source: "The Kôngo gesture" Ed. Dapper Museum; "Animal" ed. Dapper Museum; "Art and Kongos" M.L. Felix; "Kongo Power and Majesty" A. ...

Used as an amulet credited with apotropaic virtues, this small bronze sculpture constitutes, for the Sao, a talisman supposed to protect them from madness. It is therefore worn permanently. The genius who possesses the madman is represented by the rider, the horse representing the victim. This horseman wearing a cheche rides an equine which was a rare attribute of prestige in these regions of the Sahel.
The Sao, ancestors of the Kotoko, were established between the 12th and 14th centuries in a geographical area extending over the borders between Chad, northern Cameroon and Nigeria. They established themselves on hills, which enabled them to repel invaders. Subjected to successive attacks from their neighbors in Kanem and then to hordes from the East, the Sao had to abandon their ...

Late sculpture of the Edo type, in bronze alloy. It features a seated dignitary, which could represent the Oba Ewuakpe who was forced to wear a European helmet after being deprived of his prerogatives because of a rebellion. Black abraded patina.
Before the destruction of the palace of the kingdom of Benin in 1897, the divine character of the kings, the Oba, was illustrated by multiple works celebrating their power. War scenes were reproduced on narrative plaques, in bronze, and affixed to the walls. Sumptuous bronze altars, commemorative figures of deceased chiefs, heavy bracelets, anklets and recades were produced in quantity in many foundry workshops using the lost wax casting technique. The numerous brass heads and statues created by the artists of Benin were reserved for the ...

The frequent representations of riders among the Dogon of Mali refer to their cosmogony and their complex religious myths. Indeed, one of the Nommos, ancestors of men, resurrected by the creator god Amma, descended to earth carried by an ark transformed into a horse. In addition, the highest authority of the Dogon people, the religious leader named Hogon, paraded on his mount during his enthronement because according to custom he was not to set foot on the ground. In the region of the cliffs of Sangha, inaccessible on horseback, the priests wore it, while neighing in reference to the mythical ancestor Nommo. Dogon blacksmiths form an endogamous caste among the Dogon called irim. They now produce weapons, tools, and also work with wood. "Masters of fire", they are also supposed to heal ...

Crew composed of mythical figures associated with the "nommos", their boat adopting the shape of a crocodile. This imaginary world, drawn from the legends of Dogon creation, inspires the work of Dogon craftsmen. Green-gray patina.
Dogon blacksmiths form an endogamous caste among the Dogon called irim. They now produce weapons, tools, and also work with wood. "Masters of fire" associated in the Dogon cosmogony with the primordial beings "Nommo" created by the god Ama, they are also supposed to heal burns. Small metal objects, made using the lost-wax technique, were widespread in the Inner Niger Delta region, with copper reaching it through trans-Saharan trade. Excavations on the Bandiagara plateau have in fact brought to light vestiges of iron and steel sites prior to the 15th ...

Used as an amulet credited with apotropaic virtues, this small bronze sculpture constitutes, for the Sao, a talisman supposed to protect them from madness. It is therefore worn permanently. The genius who possesses the madman is represented by the rider, the horse representing the victim. This horseman wearing a cheche rides an equine which was a rare attribute of prestige in these regions of the Sahel.
The Sao, ancestors of the Kotoko, were established between the 12th and 14th centuries in a geographical area extending over the borders between Chad, northern Cameroon and Nigeria. They established themselves on hills, which enabled them to repel invaders. Subjected to successive attacks from their neighbors in Kanem and then to hordes from the East, the Sao had to abandon their ...

Ex-French African art collection.
The Tikars populate the western part of central Cameroon, which lies within the dense secondary forest of medium altitude, along the Mbam. Within this ecotone, the "plaine tikar" (named after its current occupants) is a depression that leans west and north respectively to the Mbam massif (and its Mapé and Kim tributaries) and the first foothills of the Plateau de Adamaoua. It extends to the east and south on a long drainage area of the main rivers of the central part of the country (Djerem, Sanaga, Benue). Ethnically, the current boundaries of the tikar country coincide with those of the Bamun in the west (Foumban), mambila in the northwest, Foulbé in the south, Babouté to the southeast (Yoko) and small individual groups (Djenti, etc.) scattered ...

Ex-collection African art from Belgium.
Seated figurative couple, hands on knees. Velvety brown patina, golden highlights.
The populations of the same cultural region, grouped under the name "lobi", form one fifth of the inhabitants of Burkina Faso. Although they are not very numerous in Ghana, they have also settled in the north of the Ivory Coast. It was at the end of the eighteenth century that the Lobi , coming from northern Ghana, settled among the indigenous Thuna and Puguli, the Dagara , the Dian , the Gan and the Birifor . The Lobi believe in a creator God named Thangba Thu, to whom they turn through the worship of numerous intermediate spirits, the Thil, the latter being supposed to protect them, with the help of the diviner, against a host of plagues. ...

Figurative bronzes in the African art of ancient Yoruba civilizations
The city of Ifé in Nigeria was in the 15th century the center of a powerful forest state west of the Niger Delta. The work of bronze was a prerogative of King "oni", according to the technique of lost wax. These prestigious objects embodying the sovereigns were placed on the royal altars for ceremonial use. This commemorative sculpture in the naturalistic style depicts a royal figure proudly wearing a very crafted helmet. The vertical streaks on his face evoke the traditional scarifications of the ethnic group named after Nigeria's former religious capital, Ifè. This bronze head is inspired by those produced by the sculptors of Ilé-Ifé and testifies to their great skill in the treatment of faces. He is said to have ...

The palatial tribal art of Benin.Before the destruction of the palace of the Kingdom of Benin in 1897, the divine character of the kings, the Oba, was illustrated by multiple works celebrating their power. War scenes were reproduced on narrative plates, in bronze, and affixed to the walls. Sumptuous bronze altars, commemorative figures of deceased chefs, heavy bracelets, hairs and recades were produced in quantity in many workshops of smelters according to the technique of cast iron with lost wax. The killing of the king of animals associated with the legends, the leopard, was the privilege of the chief, the Oba. The feline could then serve as an offering for the worship of the chief's head. Sometimes tamed by various royal guilds, he accompanied the chief on his travels. The Oba, named " ...

The palatial tribal art of Benin.
Before the destruction of the palace of the Kingdom of Benin in 1897, the divine character of the kings, the Oba, was illustrated by multiple works celebrating their power. War scenes were reproduced on narrative plaques, in bronze, and affixed to the walls. Sumptuous bronze altars, commemorative figures of deceased chiefs, heavy bracelets, anklets and recades were produced in quantity in many foundry workshops using the lost wax casting technique. The killing of the king of animals associated with legends, the leopard, was the privilege of the chief, the Oba. The feline could then serve as an offering for the cult of the chief's head. Sometimes tamed by various royal guilds, it accompanied the leader on his travels. The Oba, named "child of the ...

This African bronze has a coppery patina. The warrior depicted on his mount has his head wrapped in a chêche identical to those of the Tuaregs.

In African art, Sao Sokoto-inspired works are mostly imprinted with the equestrian world. Within the ethnic group, small examples of riders, usually in bronze, are cast and worn like talismans, patinated and polished by friction. They are considered above all as a remedy to fight against possession by evil spirits. The horse represents the spirit of the person who is possessed, while the genius who possesses it is symbolized by the rider. Subjected to successive attacks from their neighbors in Kanem and then to hordes from the East, the Sao had to abandon their lands to settle in the North-West of Cameroon where they mixed with the ...

African statuette in bronze alloy representing a character whose body seems to bend under the weight of the children held around his bust. The ears are traditionally distended. The statuette also bears concentric scarifications.
Golden patina, residual dark inlays.

The Vere , Verre , Were, Duru-Verre, or Dii, live in northeastern Nigeria, in the state of Adamawa (formerly Gongola), and in northern Cameroon. This very small population lives in circular huts grouped together in fortified villages.
The Vere statuettes, whose function remains unknown, are rare, and present analogies with the works produced by the Mumuye, their close neighbors established between Nigeria and Cameroon.

This figurative fetish statuette is said to be a divinatory fetish object. It would be of Tussia origin, Senoufo sub-group of Burkina-Faso. Irregular greenish-grey granular patina
. The Senoufos, the name given to them by the French colonists, are mainly composed of farmers who are scattered between Mali, Côte d'Ivoire, and Burkina Faso. Councils of elders, led by an elected chief, administer Senufo villages. Governed by matrilineal traditions, they are composed of clusters of dwellings named katiolo. Each has its own Poro association that initiates young boys from the age of seven in a succession of three cycles lasting seven years . They gather in a sacred enclosure called sinzanga located near the village, among the trees. Upon the death of one of the Poro members, ...

Ex-collection French African art.
Before the destruction of the palace of the Kingdom of Benin in 1897, the divine character of kings, the Oba , was illustrated by multiple works celebrating their power. In African tribal art, glorifying war scenes were reproduced on narrative plates, in bronze, and affixed to the walls. Sumptuous bronze altars, commemorative figures of deceased chefs, majestic felines, heavy bracelets, hairs and recades were produced in quantity in many workshops of smelters according to the technique of cast iron with lost wax. During the 16th century, oba Esigie commissioned the first copper alloy plates with embossed ornamentation. Many of them were cast in pairs to symmetrically decorate the pillars or walls of the palace. Olfert Dapper describes these plaques ...

Crew composed of "nommos" couple figures on their way to a mythical epic, their "ship" adopting the shape of a crocodile. This imaginary world, drawn from the legends of Dogon creation, inspires the work of Dogon craftsmen. Ocher black patina.
Dogon blacksmiths form an endogamous caste among the Dogon called irim. They now produce weapons, tools, and also work with wood. "Masters of fire" associated in the Dogon cosmogony with the primordial beings "Nommo" created by the god Ama, they are also supposed to heal burns. Small metal objects, made using the lost-wax technique, were widespread in the Inner Niger Delta region, with copper reaching it through trans-Saharan trade. Excavations on the Bandiagara plateau have in fact brought to light vestiges of iron and steel sites prior ...

Ex-Belgian African art collection.
Ankle ring acting as an amulet, the decorative patterns of which, referring to Lobi beliefs, were supposed to protect the wearer. Many rings were produced in southwestern Burkina Faso, having more currency value.
Height on base: 17 cm.
Ring only: 300 gr.
The populations of the same cultural region, grouped together under the name "lobi", form a fifth of the inhabitants of Burkina Faso. Few in Ghana, they have also settled in northern Côte d'Ivoire. It was at the end of the 18th century that the Lobi, coming from northern Ghana, settled among the indigenous Thuna and Puguli, the Dagara, the Dian, the Gan and the Birifor. The Lobi believe in a creator God named Thangba Thu, to whom they address themselves through the ...

Belgian African art collection. Bronze sculpture featuring a mythical rider, ancestor or Dogon religious leader. Golden patina.
The frequent representations of horsemen, among the Dogon of the Mali, refer to their cosmogony and complex religious myths. Indeed, one of the Nommos , ancestors of men , resurrected by the creator god Amma , came down to earth carried by an ark metamorphosed into a horse. Moreover, the highest authority of the Dogon people, the religious chief named Hogon, paraded on his horse during his enthronement because according to the custom he should not put his foot on the ground. In the region of the Sangha cliffs, inaccessible by horse, the priests carried him while neighing in reference to the mythical ancestor Nommo.
The Dogon blacksmiths form ...

This late African bronze of the Benin type, made from a work that was created on the death of the queen, depicts a queen mother of Benin named the Iyoba, whose the neck is surrounded by multiple necklaces of coral beads. Her high curved hairstyle was also made up of a mesh of pearls falling on either side of the face. After the birth of the future king, the queen was "removed" from power and could no longer father. But at the end of the 15th century the Oba Esigie refused to conform to this practice and wanted to attribute the city of Uselu to his mother. She also received a palace and many privileges. In recognition she raised an army to go and fight the Igala of the North. The Oba cast a head in his effigy, among many works cast in lost wax, to place them on his altar after his ...

This late African bronze of the Benin type, made from a work that was created on the death of the queen, depicts a queen mother of Benin named the Iyoba, whose the neck is surrounded by multiple necklaces of coral beads. Her high curved hairstyle was also made up of a mesh of pearls falling on either side of the face. After the birth of the future king, the queen was "removed" from power and could no longer father. But at the end of the 15th century the Oba Esigie refused to conform to this practice and wanted to attribute the city of Uselu to his mother. She also received a palace and many privileges. In recognition she raised an army to go and fight the Igala of the North. The Oba cast a head in his effigy, among many works cast in lost wax, to place them on his altar after his ...