African Arts Gallery

Arm or ankle bracelet used by the Jonga and Hamba groups in Congo Kinshasa around the 1950s for the payment of the dowry. (""The Perfect Form" R. Ballarini, p. 291) Adapted base on request.
In Africa, before the colonial period, payments were never made in coins. Transactions were made using cowries, pearls, cattle, kola nuts, but also metals, especially iron. These primitive currencies were used during commercial and social exchanges, for dowries in particular, but could also constitute objects of parade or throwing weapons. In Sierra Leone, goods were valued against iron bars called barriferri. In 1556 in Djenné Jean-Léon the African observed that the populations used iron to pay for "things of little value". The king generally controlled the production or routing of the ...

Effigy of a Kota ancestor known as mbulu-ngulu, offering an oval face haloed by a flat headdress extended with pendants. The whole is plated with metal sheets engraved in repoussé. The base which would represent the arms is only partly covered with metal.
This type of figure surmounted the baskets in which the mortuary relics of high-line ancestors were stored, playing the role of guardians named ngulu.
Foot erosions.
In the exclusive presence of initiates, the major decisions of the clan were taken during ceremonies during which the reliquaries were taken out and used by the banganga. In order to reactivate the magic charge, the initiates rubbed the relic with sand. Among the Kota, these figures have reached an astonishing degree of stylization and abstraction: reduced ...

Accompanying the rites of circumcision in the Ivindo valley, this type of mask had the role of entertaining or impressing by begging for gifts for the young guests at the ceremonies. The dancer's costume was made of raffia fibers. Under arches in striated relief, bulbous eyelids overhang notches for vision. An imposing nose dominates narrow pursed lips. Small crashes. Grainy matte patina.
The Mahongwe, Obamba, Shamayé and Sango form with the Kota a group with similar rites and society. It is in the eastern part of Gabon that they live among the forests.

Effigy of African ancestor Kota known as mbulu-ngulu, offering an oval face haloed by a flat headdress extended with pendants. The whole is plated with metal sheets engraved in repoussé. The base which would represent the arms is only partly covered with metal.
This type of figure topped the baskets in which the mortuary relics of high-line ancestors were stored, playing the role of guardians named ngulu.
Abrasions, small accidents.
In the exclusive presence of initiates, the major decisions of the clan were taken during ceremonies during which reliquaries were taken out and used by the banganga. In order to reactivate the magic charge, the initiates rubbed the relic with sand. Among the Kota, these figures have reached an astounding degree of stylization and abstraction: ...

Sculptural african art of Kota.
This guardian effigy reliquary, evoking the ancestors, adopts the traditional hairstyle: a top cap with flat hulls ending in two duvets. The face has a high convex forehead, an eyebrow arch in a heart shape with palpebral fissures stretched half-closed. The whole is clad with a network of two-colored metal strips, skilfully arranged, a fine nailing fixed to the frame of wood.
This type of sculpture played the role of "medium" between the living and the dead and continued to watch over the descendants. They are sometimes bifaces, mbulu-viti, symbolizing the masculine and feminine aspect at the same time. This type of room was indeed used during the preservation of mortuary remains of ancestors of high lineage in baskets surmounted by very ...

This sculpture features a concave face, topped with ample side panels. It is veneered with sheets of gilded metal that discreet studding adheres to the wooden core. The whole is streaked with geometric patterns. The Kota inhabit the eastern part of Gabon, which is rich in iron ore, and some in the Republic of Congo. The blacksmith, in addition to wood carving, made tools for agricultural work as well as ritual weapons. The sculptures, playing the role of "medium" between the living and the dead, who watched over the descendants, were associated with the rites of the bwete, comparable to those of the Fang, and surmounted the reliquary baskets.

French African art collection.
This African sculpture "mbulu-ngulu", plated with metal according to the kota tradition, forms a stylized image of the ancestor, a coat of arms also for the clan, and is generally distinguished by the shape of the headdress , variable depending on the region.
The Kota inhabit the eastern part of Gabon, which is rich in iron ore, and some in the Republic of Congo. The blacksmith, in addition to wood carving, made tools for agricultural work as well as ritual weapons. The sculptures playing the role of "medium" between the living and the dead who watched over the descendants, were associated with the rites at the bwete , comparable to those of the Fang . They surmounted the baskets containing the mortuary remains of the ancestors of high ...

African mask of the Mahongwe type, whose narrow concave face ending in a point and long protruding eyelids could have been one of the sources of inspiration for Cubism.
Abraded matte patina.
The Mahongwé (mahongwe) are about 15,000 settled in the east of Gabon. Close to the Kota, they are known for their figures of guardians of reliquaries similar to the heads of Naja deployed and covered on the face with juxtaposed copper wires. The Mahongwe, Obamba, Shamayé and Sango form with the Kota a group with similar rites and society. It is in the eastern part of ...

This ritual African sculpture, plated with metal sheets according to the kota tradition, forms a stylized image of the ancestor, a coat of arms also for the clan, and is generally distinguished by the shape of the headdress, which varies depending on the regions.
The Kota inhabit the eastern part of Gabon, which is rich in iron ore, and some in the Republic of Congo. The blacksmith, in addition to wood carving, made tools for agricultural work as well as ritual weapons. The sculptures playing the role of "medium" between the living and the dead who watched over the descendants, were associated with the rites at the bwete , comparable to those of the Fang . They are sometimes bifaces, the mbulu-viti, symbolizing the masculine and feminine aspect at the same time. This type of ...

Belgian African art collection
The baskets containing the relics of illustrious ancestors, generally surmounted by two reliquaries, were kept in the temples of the village. One of them embodied the founder of the lineage, and the second his descendants. Ancestor worship, the Bwete (Northern Kota) was at the heart of the social and religious life of the Kota and presents many analogies with that of the Fang. In the exclusive presence of initiates, the major decisions of the clan were taken during ceremonies during which the reliquaries were taken out and used. In order to reactivate the magic charge, the initiates rubbed the relic with sand. Among the Kota, these figures have reached an astonishing degree of stylization and abstraction: reduced to shoulders and "arms" surmounted by ...

African sculpture ritual, plated with metal sheets according to the kota tradition, forming a stylized image of the ancestor, a coat of arms also for the clan, and which is generally distinguished by the shape of the headdress, variable depending on the regions. This copy presents a face haloed with metallic spheres as a reminder of the globular pupils. The asymmetry of the object also gives it a somewhat naive character.
The Kota inhabit the eastern part of Gabon, which is rich in iron ore, and some in the Republic of Congo. The blacksmith, in addition to wood carving, made tools for agricultural work as well as ritual weapons. The sculptures playing the role of "medium" between the living and the dead who watched over the descendants, were associated with the rites at the ...

Obamba sculptural expression in African art

Kota Obamba type ancestor effigy known as mbulu-ngulu. Under a prominent forehead, the face offers two eye-cabochons pierced with nails forming the pupils. Sheets of metal, whose hammered patterns emphasize the contours, cover the sculpture.
The Mahongwe, Obamba, Shamayé and Sango form with the Kota a group with similar rites and society. It is in the eastern part of Gabon that they live among the forests. Some crossed the Congo border after going up the sources of the Ogooué. This type of figure topped the baskets in which the mortuary relics of high-line ancestors were stored, playing the role of guardians called ngulu. In the exclusive presence of initiates, the major decisions of the clan were taken during ceremonies during ...

This African sculpture, "boho-na-bwete", plated with copper leaves and wire, is a specificity Mahongwe of the extreme northeast of Gabon, bordering the Congo. Topped with a small tubular protrusion, the pointed face surmounting a long neck offers cabochons figuring the eyes framing a flat nose. The baskets containing the relics of illustrious ancestors, generally surmounted by two reliquaries of this type, were kept in temples in the village. One of them embodied the founder of the lineage, and the second his descendants.
Ancestor worship, the bwete (Northern Kota) was indeed at the heart of the social and religious life of the Kota. It has many analogies with that of the Fang. In the exclusive presence of initiates, the major decisions of the clan were taken during ceremonies ...

African sculpture ritual, plated with copper sheets according to the kota tradition, forming a stylized image of the ancestor, a coat of arms also for the clan, and which is generally distinguished by the shape of the headdress, variable depending on the regions. This version is distinguished by its geometric plans and volumes.
The Kota inhabit the eastern part of Gabon, which is rich in iron ore, and some in the Republic of Congo. The blacksmith, in addition to wood carving, made tools for agricultural work as well as ritual weapons. The sculptures playing the role of "medium" between the living and the dead who watched over the descendants, were associated with the rites at bwete , comparable to those of the Fang . They are sometimes bifaces, the mbulu-viti, symbolizing the ...

The warhead head flanked by a short summit growth carries cabochons pierced by a pupil on either side of a ridge showing the nose. Thin strips of copper and brass alternate on the surface mated by the sand supposed to reactivate the magical power of the reliquary. Foot eroded.
The cult of ancestors, the bwete (North Kota) was at the heart of the social and religious life of the Kota and has many analogies with that of Fang . In the exclusive presence of insiders, the clan's major decisions were made during ceremonies during which the reliquaries were taken out and used. In order to reactivate the magical charge, the initiates rubbed the relic with sand. In the Kota , these figures have achieved a staggering degree of stylization and abstraction: reduced to the shoulders and arms ...

This stylized ancestor figure is of the Obamba type from Haut-Ogooué. Sheets of metal adorn the wooden structure. The domed eyes, within a concave face evoking a skull, are animated by pupils.
This type of effigy, among the Kota, had the function of keeping the mortuary relics of ancestors of high lineage, fragments of bones placed for this purpose in baskets made of wickerwork or bark.
In the exclusive presence of initiates of the bwete cult, the major decisions of the clan were made during ceremonies during which the reliquaries were taken out and used.
In order to reactivate the magic charge, the initiates rubbed the relic with sand. Sacrifices and offerings were then administered for the purpose of protecting the community or family from harmful forces.

Obamba sculptural expression in African art.

Kota type ancestor effigy called mbulu-ngulu, similar to the Obamba type. The concave face, from which the cabochon eyes pierce, is haloed by a headdress with side fins. The whole is plated with metal sheets engraved in repoussé. The eroded base which would represent the arms is only partly covered with metal.

This type of figure surmounted the baskets in which the mortuary relics of high-lineage ancestors were stored, playing the role of guardians called ngulu. In the exclusive presence of initiates, the major decisions of the clan were taken during ceremonies during which the reliquaries were taken out and used by the banganga. In order to reactivate the magic charge, the initiates rubbed the relic with sand

The baskets containing the relics of illustrious ancestors, generally surmounted by two reliquaries, were kept in the temples of the village. One of them embodied the founder of the lineage, and the second his descendants. Ancestor worship, the bwete (Northern Kota) was at the heart of the social and religious life of the Kota and has many analogies with that of the Fang. In the exclusive presence of initiates, the major decisions of the clan were taken during ceremonies during which the reliquaries were taken out and used. In order to reactivate the magic charge, the initiates rubbed the relic with sand. Among the Kota, these figures have reached an astonishing degree of stylization and abstraction: reduced to shoulders and "arms" surmounted by a large face, the latter can be concave ...

Elegant variant of Mbulu ngulu , plated with copper sheets according to the kota tradition, stylized image of the ancestor, coat of arms also for the clan, and which is generally distinguished by the shape of the headdress, which varies according to regions.
The Kota inhabit the eastern part of Gabon, which is rich in iron ore, and some in the Republic of Congo. The blacksmith, in addition to wood carving, made tools for agricultural work as well as ritual weapons.
The sculptures playing the role of "medium" between the living and the dead who watched over the descendants, were associated with the rites at the bwete , comparable to those of the Fang . They are sometimes bifaces, the mbulu-viti, symbolizing the masculine and feminine aspect at the same time.

This ritual sculpture, plated with copper sheets according to the kota tradition, forms a stylized image of the ancestor, a coat of arms also for the clan, and is generally distinguished by the shape of the headdress, which varies according to the region. This version has a concave face, and a rounded end extended with pendants. The almond eyes are made of bone, pierced with a nail.
The Kota inhabit the eastern part of Gabon, which is rich in iron ore, and some in the Republic of Congo. The blacksmith, in addition to wood carving, made tools for agricultural work as well as ritual weapons.
The sculptures playing the role of "medium" between the living and the dead who watched over the descendants, were associated with the rites at the bwete , comparable to those of the ...

Ex-Belgian African art collection.
The footing of this tam-tam Kota, which accompanied the ritual dances, is composed of two curved supports and two miniature reliquary figures, caryatids resting on a ring. These abstract effigies embodying the ancestors, named ngulu, surmounted the baskets bwed in which the relics of the ancients of high lineage were kept. The membrane of the drum, fixed by large wooden pegs around which raffia cords are stretched, returns largely to the sound box. Friezes of contrasting patterns animate the surface. The guardian effigies of reliquary were recorded in the baskets in which the bones and relics of the ancestors were inserted. In the exclusive presence of insiders, the clan's major decisions were made during ceremonies during which the reliquaries ...