African Arts Gallery

A gourd draped in animal skin and fur, trimmed with cords, serves as an abdomen for the çi-contre statuette, originating from the inner region of Tanzania.This rare sculpture-fetish embodying an ancestor extols fertility by this bulging body, and the hands of the character placed around the umbilical. Oiled red brown patina.
In the southern region of Tanzania's coastline, around Dar-es-Salam, a relatively homogeneous group produced most of the artistic productions. It includes Swahili, Kaguru, Doé, Kwéré, Luguru, Zaramo, Kami. The second region is a territory covering southern Tanzania as far as Mozambique, home to some Makonde and Yao, Ngindo, Mwéra, and Makua. In northeastern Tanzania, the Chaga, Paré, Chamba, Zigua, Maasai, Iraqw, Gogo, and Hehe have an artistic production with similarities to Malagasy and Batak art, which could be explained by trade by sea. Luo, Kuria, Haya and Ziba, Kéréwe, Karagwé, Sukuma and Nyamézi are established in central west and central Tanzania. Along the shores of Lakes Tanganyika and Nyasa, and Lake Nyassa, the Ha, Jiji, Bendé, Tongwé, Holoholo, Fipa, Manbbe, Kondé, Kisi and Ngoni have produced figurative statues, terracotta sculptures and inserted tooth masks.