Heather James Fine Art - Ethnographic Art

Antiquities of

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Africa

Face Mask (Gunye ge) Dan, Ivory Coast / Liberia Wood Height: 20 in.

2173 / AF223

Dan farmers of the Ivory Coast used this mask to represent the spirit of the bush, and to fulfill a variety of social, political and religious functions. The dark patina of this mask is typical of the northern Dan as well as its high forehead and strongly protruding mouth and full lips. The circular eye holes permit full visibility to the wearer and are characteristic of the racer mask (gunye ge) or fire mask (zakpei ge).

The gunye ge hold weekly running contests in the dry season to test the prowess of young warriors. The zakpei ge also appear at the same time of year to inspect cooking fires and to chastise careless women with a switch and levy fines.

Face Mask Bete People, Ivory Coast Wood Height: 10 in.

AF254

The Bete carvers are well known for the Nyaba, which goes back to the time of the Gla society. This type of mask is mainly used during funeral processions, to instill fear or detect sorcerers that can bring harm to the community. Typical of these masks are the protruding forehead, large mouth, narrow eyes and hornlike protuberances to protect the face. The Bete tribe also carved elegant statues, which have mainly been influenced by the Guro, Yaure and the Senufo people of the region. The Bete tribe lives in the southwestern part of Côte d’Ivoire, between the Sassandra and Badama Rivers, close to the Guro and Akan tribes.

Face Mask Bete People, Ivory Coast Wood Height: 11 ½ in.

AF 268

Bete carvers are renowned for one particular type of face mask, the gre or nyabwa, which has exaggerated, grimacing distorted features – a large protruding mouth, facial protuberances, bulging forehead, elongated nose, with nostrils sometimes extending to each side of the face, and globular or bulging slit eyes set beneath a high-domed forehead carved with a medium ridge. In earlier days, this mask presided over the ceremony held when peace was restored after armed conflicts and it participated in sessions of customary justice.

This type of mask was also worn to prepare men for war; the masks offered magical protection by instilling fear and terror in potential enemies. Nowadays, it is worn for a variety of ceremonies, including entertainment dances.

Deformation Face Mask Pende People, Congo Wood Height: 11 in.

AF 277

Provenance: Morton Dimondstein Collection, Los Angeles The Pende carve numerous types of masks, most of which are associated with education and initiation rituals. Wooden figures are sculpted in the northwest part of the territory. Carved stools, staffs, chairs, and swords are used by chiefs and other important people to signify their power. Pende masks, made in a realistic style, are among the most dramatic works of all African art. Like the Yaka, small Pende masks fit over the head, helmet-style. Representing the mysterious powers to which boys are introduced at initiation, Pende masks are worn in comic entertainments performed during the ceremonies.

Forehead Mask Ijo People, Nigeria Painted Wood Length: 24 in.

AF 291

Numbering 200,000 to 350,000, the Ijo people live mainly in the creeks and mangrove swamps of the Niger Delta area. Being fishermen and traders they depend upon the water for food and communication. The Ijo are divided into two groups: the KalabariIjo, east of the Nun River, and the western or central Ijo, who live to the west and northwest of this river. Also found in the western area are more realistic masks in the form of fish or animals, which are worn on the forehead. However, the best known forehead masks of the central Ijo, which embody water spirits (owuamapu), contain depictions of human heads built up of geometric shapes and combined with zoomorphic or abstract elements.

Mask with Raffia Mbuti Tribe, Ituri, Zaire Wood and Raffia Height: 18 in.

AF 296

The Mbuti Tribe is from the Ituri Rain forest of Zaire, and has some of the smallest pygmies, with an average height of under 4’ 6�. The Mbuti are nomadic hunters and gatherers, originating from equatorial Africa, and their weapons range from the bows and arrows of a relative tribe, the Efe, to spears and nets. Mbuti Tribes have no chief or any specific person or persons to settle their disputes; they simply have discussions and work out their differences. They celebrate important occasions such as birth, death, the maturity of boys and girls, and marriage with music, mime, and dance. No archeological evidence as of yet has been found of the history of this tribe, but early records by the Egyptians show they were known 4,500 years ago.

Face Mask (Gunye ge) Dan People, Ivory Coast / Liberia Wood Height: 8 in.

AF 299

Dan farmers of the Ivory Coast used this mask to represent the spirit of the bush, and to fulfill a variety of social, political and religious functions. The dark patina of this mask is typical of the northern Dan as well as its high forehead and strongly protruding mouth and full lips. The circular eyeholes permit full vision of the wearer and are characteristic of the racer mask (gunye ge) or fire mask (zakpei ge). The gunye ge hold weekly running contests in the dry season to test the prowess of young warriors. The zakpei ge also appears at the same time of year to inspect cooking fires, the ever-possible conflagration, to chastise careless women with a switch and levy fines.

Kam Mask, Helmet Crest (Ngoin) Bamum People, Western Grasslands, Cameroon Wood Height 14 in.

AF 301

Ngoin helmet masks from the Grasslands of Cameroon, which are so highly esteemed in the west, are the possessions of family associations. These masks never have eye holes, as they are worn atop the head. The hairstyle is reminiscent of a style reserved only for queens. This three dimensional Ngoin mask is worn on top of the head of a male dancer who’s face is concealed by a thin cloth.

Ngoin masks are one of several types that appear in memorial ceremonies held for important deceased persons in the kingdoms of the Cameroon grasslands. They are danced before the entire community, who view the masks with awe and reverence. They are often sculpted with different types of coiffures such as buns or spider motifs or, in this case, carved faces.

Helmet Mask (Maung) Ibo People, Nigeria Wood and Pigments Height: 35 in.

AF 303

Provenance: The Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, de Young Art Trust: #71.8.1 Literature: Dwyer, The Traditional Art of Africa, Oceania and the Americas, 1973, p. 7.

Igbo masks are numerous and are used for initiation ceremonies and entertainment. They typically display a central crest and an elongated face.

The Igbo-Izi people live in the North-Eastern part of the Igbo territory and carve an elephant spirit mask, called Ogbodo, which has tusks and an otropaic function.

Headdress Mask (Tji Wara) Bamana People, Mali Wood Height: 19.5 in.

AF 323

The tji wara society members use a headdress representing, in the form of an antelope, the mythical being who taught men how to farm.

The word tji means “work” and wara means “animal,” thus “working animal.” There are antelopes with vertical or horizontal direction of the horns. In the past the purpose of the tji wara association was to encourage cooperation among all members of the community to ensure a successful crop. In recent times, however, the Bamana concept of tji wara has become associated with the notion of a good farmer, and the tji wara masqueraders are regarded as a farming beast. The Bamana sponsor farming contests where the tji wara masqueraders perform. Always performing together in a male and female pair, the coupling of the antelope masqueraders speaks of fertility and agricultural abundance. According to one interpretation, the male antelope represents the sun and the female the earth. The antelope imagery of the carved headdress was inspired by a Bamana myth that recounts the story of a mythical beast (half antelope and half human) who introduced agriculture to the Bamana people. The dance performed by the masqueraders mimes the movements of the antelope. Antelope headdress in the vertical style, found in eastern Bamana territory, have a pair of upright horns. The male antelopes are decorated with a mane consisting of rows of openwork zigzag patterns and gracefully curved horns, while the female antelope supports baby antelopes on their back and have straight horns. The dancers appear holding two sticks in their hands, their leaps imitating the jumps of the antelopes. From the artistic point of view the tji wara are probably the finest examples of stylized African art, for with a delicate play of line the sensitive carvings display the natural beauty of the living antelope.

Helmut Crest, Elephant Mask Bamileke People, Western Grasslands, Cameroon Babanki Style Wood and Pigments Length: 21 in.

AF 343

This lineage mask would have been worn principally at memorial services for the dead. The elephant, like the leopard, is considered a royal animal, and wearing an elephant mask is therefore the special privilege of only certain lineages. An elephant masquerader assumes the second most important position after the human kam masquerader. The elephant masquerader is the first to appear on the dance floor and is the last to leave, and he dances in slow and stately movements.

Face Mask Yaka People, Congo Wood Height: 12 in.

AF 345

Literature: Segy, Masks of Black Africa, 1976, Ill.218 The eastern Yaka mask is called kakunga, the chief, and is considered one of the most important masks in the circumcision ceremony. The mask is generally surmounted by a richly ornamented, abstract construction – sometimes resembling a Thailand pagoda; sometimes in animal shapes, made of twigs, covered with fiber cloth, and finally painted. A variant is the broad-nosed polychrome mask, with round, protruding eyes and square, block-like ears. These two types of masks were used in initiation ceremonies of the mukanda or nkanda societies.

Face Mask Afikpo People, Nigeria Wood Height: 15 in.

AF 346

Provenance: Christie’s London, June 26, 1995, lot no. 81.

Lucien Van de Velde Collection.

Exhibited: Brussels, 1974, no. 41.

The Afikpo believe that putting on a mask transforms the performer into a spirit. Masks from the Afikpo area are often small, and with the soft raffia padding, are designed to be worn on top of the face or forehead. The effect is to make the dancer look strangely out of proportion. The Afikpo are a subgroup of the Igbo people in Nigeria. Their masks are danced at Yam festivals or for satire and entertainment.

Face Mask, Female Kifwebe Type Songe People, Congo Wood Height: 12 ½ in.

AF 352

Female Kifwebe masks essentially reflect positive forces and appear principally in dances held at night, such as during lunar ceremonies and at the investiture or death of a ruler. The masks are a direct link from the spirit world to the society. The physical attributes of the masks emphasize their supernatural connections: the nose, mouth, and eyes are highly abstracted. Patterned over the entire face are geometric grooves, which remove the face even further from the usual human realm. There are several differences between male and female Kifwebe masks. Generally female masks are white, or of lighter wood color, while the male masks have a red pigment.

Toma Helmet Crest, Landa Type Toma People, Liberia / Guinea Wood Height: 19 in.

AF 357

Provenance: Tambaran Gallery, N.Y., Alfie Schienberg The Toma, known alternately as the Loma, are one of the numerous tribes that descended from the northern savanna region into the forested area of West Africa. The Toma are known for their long wooden masks, which are often striking in their stark simplicity of form, economy of line, and heavy sacrificial patina. Nearly all of the Toma masks were associated with the men’s secret society known as the Poro. The Poro was responsible for enforcing regulations regarding land use, initiation, marriage, and trade.

Face Mask (Kpeli-yehe) Senufo People, Ivory Coast Wood Height: 13 in.

AF 361

This Kpeli-yehe mask, used by the Senufo People in the Ivory Coast, served to compel the spirits of the deceased to leave the houses of the living. It was used by the Poro society, a male organization that exerted social and political control over tribes and fulfilled religious, especially funerary ceremonial obligations.

Face Mask (Gunye ge) Dan, Ivory Coast / Liberia Wood Height: 9 in.

AF 364

Gunye ge hold weekly running contests during the dry season. These contests test the prowess of young warriors. The Gunye Ge, or racing mask is worn by a dancer who is chased by an unmasked runner. If caught, the pursuer wears the mask and is, in turn, pursued. During the dry season, Gunye Ge mask appears in the village everyday in the afternoon to protect the village from the danger of fires. The Gunye Ge mask’s mission is to punish any women who does not extinguish her fireplace. The large circular eyeholes permit unhindered visibility for the wearer.

Face Mask Kran People, Liberia Wood Height: 8 in.

AF 369

The Kran are a Dan sub-group, of Cote d Ivoire and Liberia, and are closely related to the We tribe. Female masks are rounded or oval, narrow eyes and finely delicate non-challenging features, whereas the male mask is larger in size, grosser in proportions, with an open and challenging mouth with teeth, tube-like eyes, fur and raffia. The exaggerated features of this mask, though vaguely human, refer to forces in the bush whose energy and powers add to the authority of the spirit represented. Whereas female masks appear to entertain, male masks exercise social control, punishing wrongdoers, settling disputes, declaring wars and proclaiming peace.

Portrait Mask Baule People, Ivory Coast Wood Height: 10 ½ in.

AF 371

Provenance: David Ackley Mblo masks are known as portrait masks and each example is unique. The masks of this kind are sculpted in the image of persons admired for their beauty and their quality as dancers. The masks were kept in a hut in the village and are worn exclusively by men.

This object would have been used in a type of performance known as Mblo, which uses face masks in skits and solo dances. While not sacred, a Mblo mask is still regarded as powerful and is treated with great care. When not in use, a mask is wrapped in cotton cloth and hung in the dancer’s sleeping room.

Female Dance Mask Chokwe people, Angola wood 13 in. high AF372

The Chokwe people are members of a large cultural group living today in central Angola, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Chokwe masks are used for dance at the induction of a new chief, at funerals and fertility rituals, and during public entertainment.

During the performance, masked individuals dance in pair, male and female. Representing the positive attributes of the ideal woman, the dancer of the female mask, Mwana Pwo, expresses through her elegant gestures, a means of educating Chokwe women to act in a graceful manner and serve as a role model for the Chokwe people.

Face Mask with a Beard (Gunye ge) Dan, Ivory Coast / Liberia Wood Height: 9 ½ in.

AF 376

Dan farmers of the Ivory Coast used this mask to represent the spirit of the bush, and to fulfill a variety of social, political and religious functions. The dark patina of this mask is typical of the northern Dan as well as its high forehead and strongly protruding mouth and full lips. The circular eyeholes permit full vision of the wearer and are characteristic of the racer mask (gunye ge) or fire mask (zakpei ge). The gunye ge hold weekly running contests in the dry season to test the prowess of young warriors. The zakpei ge also appears at the same time of year to inspect cooking fires, the ever-possible conflagration, to chastise careless women with a switch and levy fines.

Face Mask Burkina Faso Mossi Tribe Wood, vines, pigments, shells Height: 32 in.

AF 219

The first Mossi Empire was founded by invaders from northern Ghana.

Today, the Mossi are the largest ethnic group living in Burkina Faso.

Mossi sculptors are mostly famous for their polychrome masks. The farmers, “children of the earth” and descendants of the autochthones, still use huge masks; formerly, these masks were regarded as the seat of the spirit, but they might also represent the totemic animal of the clan. Between “appearances,” the masks remained on the family shrine, where they received prayers and sacrifices for those members of the family who were in need, and they aided communication with the ancestors.

Face Mask Dan, Ivory Coast / Liberia Wood Height: 7 3/4 in.

AF 248

Dan farmers of the Ivory Coast used this mask to represent the spirit of the bush, and to fulfill a variety of social, political and religious functions. The dark patina of this mask is typical of the northern Dan as well as its high forehead and strongly protruding mouth and full lips. The circular eyeholes permit full vision of the wearer and are characteristic of the racer mask (gunye ge) or fire mask (zakpei ge).

The gunye ge hold weekly running contests in the dry season to test the prowess of young warriors. The zakpei ge also appears at the same time of year to inspect cooking fires, the ever-possible conflagration, to chastise careless women with a switch and levy fines.

Face Mask with hair Guere Tribe, Ivory Coast Wood, hair, pigment Height: 23 in.

AF 250

The art of Guere and Wobe people is stylistically connected and both groups are often collectively referred to as We, meaning “men who easily forgive.” Like the Dan, the We use a wide variety of masquerades, which hold important regulatory position within their small, egalitarian communities. Masks are owned by families and used by individual lineage members in contexts of social control, boy’s circumcision camps, and entertainment. Most We masks were created to frighten with the gaping jaws and tubular eyes. We people produce a variety of masks often characterized by enlarged triangular nose, an open mouth and tubular eyes.

Face Mask with hair Guere Tribe, Ivory Coast Wood, hair, pigment Height: 32 in AF 267

The art of Guere and Wobe people is stylistically connected and both groups are often collectively referred to as We, meaning “men who easily forgive.” Like the Dan, the We use a wide variety of masquerades, which hold important regulatory position within their small, egalitarian communities. Masks are owned by families and used by individual lineage members in contexts of social control, boy’s circumcision camps, and entertainment. Most We masks were created to frighten with the gaping jaws and tubular eyes. We people produce a variety of masks often characterized by enlarged triangular nose, an open mouth and tubular eyes.

Chokwe Mask Pende People, Congo Wood Height: 10 1/2 in.

AF 328

The Pende carve numerous types of masks, most of which are associated with education and initiation rituals. Wooden figures are sculpted in the northwest part of the territory. Carved stools, staffs, chairs, and swords are used by chiefs and other important people to signify their power. Pende masks, made in a realistic style, are among the most dramatic works of all African art. Like the Yaka, small Pende masks fit over the head, helmet-style. Representing the mysterious powers to which boys are introduced at initiation, Pende masks are worn in comic entertainments performed during the ceremonies.

Goli Forehead Mask Baule People, Ivory Coast Wood Height: 12 in.

AF 365A

Goli is the day-long spectacle that normally involves the whole village and includes the appearance of four pairs of masks, and music played on special instruments. The very characteristic, round-shaped “lunar� goli is surmounted by two horns. Celebrating peace and joy, they would sing, dance, and drink palm wine. In the procession, the goli preceded the four groups of dancers, representing young adolescents. The goli would be used on the occasion of the new harvest, the visit of dignitaries, or at the funerals of notables.

Stool Nigeria Wood 15 x 10 x 11 in.

AF 159

Wooden Prestige Stool Asante People, Ghana Wood Length: 19, Width: 9, Height: 13 1/2 in.

AF 307

The Asante are famous for their ceremonial stools carved with an arched seat over a foot, referring to a proverb or a symbol of wisdom.

They are usually made for a chief when he takes office and are adorned with beads or copper nails and sheets. In rare cases, when the chief is sufficiently important, the stool is placed in a special room following his death to commemorate his memory. Asante chairs are based on 17 century European models and, unlike stools; do not have any spiritual function. They are used as prestige objects by important chiefs during festivities or significant gatherings.

Wooden Prestige Stool Asante People, Ghana Wood Length: 21 3/4, Width: 12, Height: 16 1/2 in.

AF 314

The Asante are famous for their ceremonial stools carved with an arched seat over a foot, referring to a proverb or a symbol of wisdom.

They are usually made for a chief when he takes office and are adorned with beads or copper nails and sheets. In rare cases, when the chief is sufficiently important, the stool is placed in a special room following his death to commemorate his memory. Asante chairs are based on 17 century European models and, unlike stools; do not have any spiritual function. They are used as prestige objects by important chiefs during festivities or significant gatherings.

Wooden Prestige Stool Asante People, Ghana Wood Length: 27, Width: 11 1/2, Height: 16 in.

AF 315

The Asante are famous for their ceremonial stools carved with an arched seat over a foot, referring to a proverb or a symbol of wisdom.

They are usually made for a chief when he takes office and are adorned with beads or copper nails and sheets. In rare cases, when the chief is sufficiently important, the stool is placed in a special room following his death to commemorate his memory. Asante chairs are based on 17 century European models and, unlike stools; do not have any spiritual function. They are used as prestige objects by important chiefs during festivities or significant gatherings.

Wooden Prestige Stool Asante People, Ghana Wood Length: 16, Width: 24, Height: 9 Âź in.

AF 316

The Asante are famous for their ceremonial stools carved with an arched seat over a foot, referring to a proverb or a symbol of wisdom.

They are usually made for a chief when he takes office and are adorned with beads or copper nails and sheets. In rare cases, when the chief is sufficiently important, the stool is placed in a special room following his death to commemorate his memory. Asante chairs are based on 17 century European models and, unlike stools; do not have any spiritual function. They are used as prestige objects by important chiefs during festivities or significant gatherings.

Prestige Stool Ghana, Asante People Wood Height: 15 in.

AF 317

The Asante are famous for their ceremonial stools carved with an arched seat over a foot, referring to a proverb or a symbol of wisdom.

They are usually made for a chief when he takes office and are adorned with beads or copper nails and sheets. In rare cases, when the chief is sufficiently important, the stool is placed in a special room following his death to commemorate his memory. Asante chairs are based on 17 century European models and, unlike stools; do not have any spiritual function. They are used as prestige objects by important chiefs during festivities or significant gatherings.

Prestige Stool Afikpo People, Nigeria Wood Height: 20 in.

AF 326

The Afikpo are a small subgroup of the Igbo people in Nigeria. . The lack of overall centralization among the Igbo-speaking peoples has been conducive to the development of a great variety of art styles and cultural practices. Ibo sculpture is subject to rather strict rules: the figures are generally frontal, symmetrical, and upright, with legs slightly spread, arms held away from the body, and hands stretched forward, palms open. Proportions are true to those of the human body, with the exception of the neck, which is more elongated. The whole gives the impression of balance and stability yet lacks the degree of refinement and precision.

Ritual blade Sengele People, Congo Iron and wood Height: 36 in AF 128

The Sengele people are one of the approximately 200 ethnic groups of the DRC. They are one of the biggest Bantu-speaking tribes categorized under the name of Mongo, named after a man from whom they claim descent. Along with the Kongo, the Luba and the Mangbetu-Azande, the Mongo comprise one of the four principal tribes in the DRC. With an estimated population of 20,000, Sengele speakers reside mainly in Bandundu, one of the country’s ten provinces. They are found west of Lake Mai-Ndombe.

Ritual blade Sengele People, Congo Iron and wood Height: 36 in.

AF 129

The Sengele people are one of the approximately 200 ethnic groups of the DRC. They are one of the biggest Bantu-speaking tribes categorized under the name of Mongo, named after a man from whom they claim descent. Along with the Kongo, the Luba and the Mangbetu-Azande, the Mongo comprise one of the four principal tribes in the DRC. With an estimated population of 20,000, Sengele speakers reside mainly in Bandundu, one of the country’s ten provinces. They are found west of Lake Mai-Ndombe.

Ceremonial Sword Asante Tribe, Ghana Iron and Wood Height: 44 in.

2176 / AF 265

Provenance: Jean-Pierre Hallet The Asante tribe of the Akan is the largest tribe in Ghana and one of the few matrilineal societies in West Africa. Once renown for the splendor and wealth of their rulers, they are most famous today for their craftwork, particularly their handcarved stools and fertility dolls and their colorful kente cloth. The Asante are noted for their expertise in a variety of specialized crafts. These include weaving, woodcarving, ceramics, and metallurgy.

Ritual Blade Sengele People, Congo Height: 19 in AF 338

The Sengele people are one of the approximately 200 ethnic groups of the DRC. They are one of the biggest Bantu-speaking tribes categorized under the name of Mongo, named after a man from whom they claim descent. Along with the Kongo, the Luba and the Mangbetu-Azande, the Mongo comprise one of the four principal tribes in the DRC. With an estimated population of 20,000, Sengele speakers reside mainly in Bandundu, one of the country’s ten provinces. They are found west of Lake Mai-Ndombe.

Terracotta Female Head Nok, Nigeria, c. 100 AD Terracotta Height: 9 ½ in.

AF360

Provenance: Pierre Loos, Paris ASA Thermoluminescence test #TL 709.308 confirms the dating of this piece.

The discovery of the Nok Culture was made during a tin mining expedition and was subsequently published in 1928. Bernard Fagg, British colonial administrator with a degree in archaeology, became aware of the archaeological significance of what he came to call “Nok Culture”, a name derived from a small village on the Jos Plateau.

Throughout ancient Africa people have worn signs of their social status, and in Nok statuary the coiffure is very important as much in volume as in its complexity. The coiffure of this female head indicates a woman of high social status.

Goli Heddle Pulley Baule People, Ivory Coast Wood Height: 6 in.

AF368

Goli is the day-long spectacle that normally involves the whole village and includes the appearance of four pairs of masks, and music played on special instruments. The very characteristic, round-shaped “lunar� goli is surmounted by two horns. Celebrating peace and joy, they would sing, dance, and drink palm wine. In the procession, the goli preceded the four groups of dancers, representing young adolescents. The goli would be used on the occasion of the new harvest, the visit of dignitaries, or at the funerals of notables. Baule carvers also produce heddle pulleys, combs and hairpins.

Pair of Male and Female Wood Ancestor Panels Pende Tribe, Congo Pigments on Wood Dimension: 37 ½ x 9 in.

1067 / AF 281

Provenance: Jean-Pierre Hallet The Pende fled north from Angola in the 17th century to escape the slave trade. They found refuge in the bush savannah of modern day south central Zaire, and have resided there since. The Pende recognize that spirits may be either good or bad, depending on the manner in which they died. Also, when ancestors are neglected they can cause misfortune to happen to the family. The result may be sickness or hardship, both of which require a visit to the local diviner to determine the best way to appease the spirits. Through the diviner, the spirit will sometimes demand that a wooden sculpture be commissioned so that offerings can be made to it.

Mother and Child Statue Tiv People, Nigeria Wood Height: 33 ¼ in.

2174 / AF 304

Tiv are interested in the art, not in the artist. Tiv, indeed, use the word “create” gba for working in wood--its only other use is for God’s creation of the World. Tiv are more interested in the ideas conveyed by a piece of art than they are in its manufacture, just as in their religion they are far more interested in the Creation than in the Creator. Tiv, in many instances at least, care who creates a given object as little as they care about the creative process. Art is, among them, an epiphenomenon to play, religion, prestige and most other aspects of life.

Lobi Statue Burkina Faso Wood Height: 30 in.

AF 220

The Lobi do not use masks, but create male and female spirit figures called bateba and heads sculpted on top of a post planted in the ground. Bateba are considered as living beings and may see, communicate, and intervene on behalf of its thil spirit. Lobi figures are between 2� and 35� high. Shrines are built to the thil spirits under the instructions of a sorcerer and are filled with a variety of wooden statues together with assortment of clay sculptures, iron staffs, bottles and pots. Frequent sacrifices are made at these shrines to ensure the goodwill of the ancestors, and to avoid Illness and misfortune.

Female Figure Ibo People, Nigeria Wood and Pigments Height: 43 ½ in.

1036 / AF 330

Exhibited: Vienna, 1994 Linz, 1997-1998 Literature: Schader, K.F., Gohler Geister Ahnen, Munich, 1994, p. 18.

Eisenhofer, S., Kult, Kunstler, Koniga in Afrika - Tradition and Moderne in Sudnigeria, Linz, 1997, p.398.

Standing figures represent the numerous Igbo Alusi deities. They are grouped together in symbolic families and are kept in special houses where they are revered. During annual festivities, these figures are taken out and paraded through the villages.

Spirit Figure Baule People, Ivory Coast Wood Height: 14 ½ in.

AF 241

Baule figures answer to two types of devotion: one depicts the “spiritual” spouse who, in order to be appeased, requires the creation of a shrine in the personal hut of the individual. The Baule believe that before they were born into the world they existed in a spirit world, where each one had a mate. Sometimes that spirit mate becomes jealous of their earthly mate and causes marital discord. When this happens, a figure depicting the other world spouse is carved and placated with earthly signs of attention.

Diviner’s Wood Figure Attie People, Cameroon Wood Height: 16 ½ in.

AF 278

Standing and seated statues with bulbous arms and legs produced by the Attie show strong Baule influence, but they are very marked by their distinctive style. Often the hairdo is geometric. What is unusual is that the relief scarification marks are achieved by insertion of small wooden plugs into the carving. Representing the forces of female fecundity, these statues were used in rituals to make these forces work. This type of statue was known under the tribal name of alangua.

Spirit Figure Baule People, Ivory Coast Wood Height: 15 in.

AF 339

Baule figures answer to two types of devotion: one depicts the “spiritual� spouse who, in order to be appeased, requires the creation of a shrine in the personal hut of the individual. The Baule believe that before they were born into the world they existed in a spirit world, where each one had a mate. Sometimes that spirit mate becomes jealous of their earthly mate and causes marital discord. When this happens, a figure depicting the other world spouse is carved and placated with earthly signs of attention.

Spirit Figure Baule People, Ivory COast Wood Height: 16 ½ in.

AF 354

Baule figures answer to two types of devotion: one depicts the “spiritual” spouse who, in order to be appeased, requires the creation of a shrine in the personal hut of the individual. The Baule believe that before they were born into the world they existed in a spirit world, where each one had a mate. Sometimes that spirit mate becomes jealous of their earthly mate and causes marital discord. When this happens, a figure depicting the other world spouse is carved and placated with earthly signs of attention.

Female Figure Kulango People, Ivory Coast Wood Height: 17 in.

AF 366

Kulango statuary is rare, and often presented as derived from and strongly influenced by Lobi art. The figures, associated with the dead, are beings that are somewhere between spirits and people and may represent the dead, or ghost, or bush spirit. The figures preside over foundation rites, essential for obtaining protection for new homes.

They were also used by soothsayers and by the leaders of the family cult.

Ibeji (Twins) Yoruba People, Nigeria Wood Height: 10 in.

AF 355

The most widely distributed cult is of twins, ibeji, whose birth among the Yoruba is unusually frequent. An ibeji statuette is to be made, if one twin died; this ibeji remained with the surviving twin and was treated, fed, and washed as a living child. Their effigies, made on the instructions of the oracle, are among the most numerous of all classes of African sculpture.

Janus Figure Hemba People, Congo Wood Height: 8 1/5 in.

AF362

Provenance: Marc Felix The Hemba honor the kabeja, a Janus-shaped statuette, with a single body and two faces, male and female, on one neck. The kabeja is topped with a receptacle for magic ingredients. Each clan possesses a single kabeja, which is dangerous to handle, and which receives sacrifices intended for the spirits, a magico religious practice that is of the essence to the family.

South East Asia

Statuette (Bulul) Ifugao People, Northern Luzon, Phillipines Height: 27 in.

OC109

Provenance: Byers Collection The bulul were used in numerous harvest ceremonies and were an important and cherished object by its owner. Bulul figures were inherited by the first child in a family and were held in high esteem. At harvest ceremonies held at the home of the rice field’s owner, bulul deities, along with many other deities are invoked by the priests, urged to join in the festivities, and asked to make the rice continue to grow as it had grown in the fields. During these ceremonies carved bulul, jars of rice wine, and ritual boxes are placed alongside the presiding priests.

Head of Buddha Burma, Shan Period (17th/18th Century) Wood and Pigments Height: 30 in.

AS 1093

Two traditional crafts at which the Burmese excel are wood carving and lacquer work. They used their skills in these areas to create images of the Buddha, as part of their devotion to Theravada Buddhism. The use of woodcarving for religious and secular purposes has been attested to in Burma since Pyu times (A.D. 200-900) and may even have begun earlier. As evidenced by this particular piece, the Burmese had an innate understanding of the properties of wood, working with the grain of the wood to best utilize its properties.

Temple Bell Khmer, 11th – 12th Century Bronze Height: 6 3/8 in.

AS600

Temple bells are still used in monasteries today to announce the day’s events. Apart from these, there is the bell used by the monks to regulate the day’s activities. Struck with a wooden baton or pole, this bell summoned members of both the religious and lay communities to devotions at specific times of the day. It also tolls the day’s end when monks assemble for evening vespers, and is used to indicate the noon hour. Sacred images made of metal play a prominent role among the remains of ancient Khmer culture, but their production has never been given serious attention. Ancient inscriptions make frequent reference to metal images, but no mention is made of how and where they were manufactured. Under the circumstances, the lack of bronze foundry sites and casting debris at Angkor begs an explanation. According to the available textual evidence, the creation of major metal Khmer images took place in temporary foundries set up in temple precincts that were afterwards removed, leaving no material evidence of their existence. A temporary foundry of this type is visible in a nineteenth century mural at Wat Bowornivet in Bangkok, depicting an age-old tradition that has persisted to the present day, according to several twentieth century descriptions.

Figure of Buddha Gandhara, 2nd -3rd Century A.D. Gray Schist Height: 16 in.

1047 / AS 1080

The Buddhist sculpture of Gandhara is an artistic blend of East and West. Historically, Gandhara, in modern Pakistan and Afghanistan, was a point at which many cultures converged - including ancient Indian, Aryan, Bactrian, Persian, and Greek. Early in the first millennium AD, Gandhara was the birthplace of some of the earliest Buddhist images, strongly influenced by Greco-Roman sculpture. In ancient times, trade routes from Ancient Greece and Rome and across central Asia to the Orient allowed for artistic, religious and cultural traditions to be shared with and influence one another. This piece clearly shows Hellenistic influence, most notably in the treatment of the drapery. Buddhists from Gandhara (present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan) saw the Greek and Roman gods such as Zeus, Poseidon, Aphrodite and others and used these models to create the first known images of Buddha. This basic image of Buddha has endured for nearly 2000 years.

Procession with Horses India, 12th Century Stone Length: 23 in.

AS1185

This is a royal procession scene from a medieval, Indian temple.

The central rider wears an embellished helmet, or crown, that is indicative of his royal status. He is accompanied on either side by two companions, both of whom turn to face him out of deference. The carver has conveyed a sense of depth both by placing the followers on a ledge behind the main figures and by making these secondary figures smaller in scale.

Chief’s Door Dayak People, Borneo Island, Indonesia Wood Dimensions: 74 x 26 in.

1055

In Indonesia, especially in the outer islands, isolated communities continue to follow the ways of the ancestors. These include beliefs in the power of ancestors and the spirits of nature to affect the prosperity of the living. In such societies, communal rituals to ensure fertility and prosperity are paramount, as is the prominent display of protective images. In the field of Southeast Asian ancestral art, the sculpture of the various Dayak communities of Borneo is considered to be amongst the most powerful and technically superior. One of the primary avenues for this cultural expression is in the decoration of the communal longhouse. Typically long, narrow and roofed with a bilateral pitch, the Kayan longhouse consists of a public gallery and verandah on one side and a series of multi-generational family living quarters on the other. The residence of the chief or headman is distinguished by complex carving or painting on the door, beams, and posts of the entrance. The designs often consist of interlocking mythical beasts such as the dog-dragon (aso). In such contexts the sculpture tends towards two-dimensional or low relief ornament, with a limited number of forms of deities and spirits. Common motifs include anthropomorphic figures, demonic faces, serpents, dragons and birds, especially the hornbill. The use of such motifs stretches back into antiquity.

House Door with Buffalo Head Motif Toraja People, Sulawesi Island, Indonesia Wood Height: 42 in.

1062 / AS 807

Exhibited: UCLA, Frederick S. Wright Gallery, 1985 Published: Feldman, The Eloquent Dead, 1985, p.138, illustration 168.

The water buffalo symbolizes virility and suggests wealth and status for the Toraja. Water buffalo motifs appear commonly on houses and granaries suggesting the link between extensive landholding and the ability to build and lavishly decorate traditional Toraja village structures. At the center of Toraja culture is a fascinating and complex belief system surrounding death and the afterlife. The Torajas are equally famous for their houses, which are called Tongkonan, or Family Houses. The houses are built on stilts, and each end rises like the horns of a buffalo, with the points always facing north and south.

Hudog Mask Kayan/Kenya Dayak People, Borneo Island, Indonesia Wood & pigment with rare cloud leopard skin atop Height: 20 in.

1063 / AS 1074

Shamans, or healers, wear the Hudog mask when performing healing rituals intended to restore the patient’s wandering soul and to repel evil spirits. The masks are also worn during agricultural ceremonies, the purpose of which is to entreat the gods to bestow fertility on the land and on the young women of the tribe.

Singa Batak People, Sumatra Wood Height: 26 1/2 in.

AS 1075

Provenance: Morton Dimondstein and James Willis Exhibited: San Francisco, James Willis Gallery Published: Sculpture of the Batak, May 15-June 30, 1979, p. 17 Singas are the most important decorative element seen in Batak Toba houses. The word singa comes from Sanskrit and means “lion�. There are innumerable representations, but mostly, they just depict the head, which is significant for two reasons. Firstly, the Toba believe that it keeps misfortune, diseases and evil influences from the house and its inhabitants, and also that it can release positive beneficial powers for the good of the inhabitants.

Offering Post- Aitos Tellum People of Timor Island, Indonesia Stone Height: 42 ½ in.

OS105

Cylindrical offering posts, ai tos, are erected as offerings to distant ancestors. This post has two faces and represents the first ancestral pair. The people of Belu, also called Tetum, recognize three types of offering pole; ai tos, for distant progenitors, sometimes described as gods; foho, for intermediary beings; and lor, for the recently deported. Many offerings are brought to the ai tos. When a carving is first finished, rice and a pig are sacrificed. Later, to inaugurate the post there are massive offerings from the village. At regular intervals the post is dressed in fine clothing, even an artificial beard, and food is brought to the ancestor, bei.

Gray Sandstone Head of Avalokiteshvara Cambodia, Bayon Style, Khmer period Late 12th-Early 13th century Sandstone Height: 12 1/2 in.

AS 1002

Provenance: Charles Craig Exhibited: “Diverse Directions”, A Collectors Choice; Selections from the Charles Craig Collection, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, December 12, 1987 -February 7, 1988.

The Khmer king Jayavarman VII (r.1181-1219) was a devout Buddhist. During his reign he was responsible for constructing more temples and palaces than any of his predecessors. Jayavarman fashioned himself and was ultimately regarded as a god-king who associated himself not only with Buddha, but the bodhisattva of compassion Avalokiteshvara. The facial type of head, as with a very closely related example sold at Sotheby’s New York, September 21, 1995, lot 100, relates closely with an existing portrait of the ruler in the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas.

Head of Shiva Khmer, Angkor Period, Style of Bakheng, 1st quarter of the 10th Century Sandstone Height: 12 1/2 in.

AS1091

The Bakheng style is based on formalism, geometric hieratism, and linear abstraction. The faces have eyebrows that are unusual in that they are a continuous sharp line. The diadem consists of a band decorated with lozenge and half-lozenges and crowned by a row of florets. Generally, the Bakheng style of sculpture has a severity in comparison to the more naturalistic treatment of pre- Angkorian statues.

Buffalo Bell Khmer, 11th-12th Century Bronze Height: 6 1/2 in.

AS 601

This handmade bronze bell was used to keep track of the small herds of buffalo or cattle. The buffalo were used to pull the plows of the rice farmers. Sacred images made of metal play a prominent role among the remains of ancient Khmer culture, but their production has never been given serious attention. Ancient inscriptions make frequent reference to metal images, but no mention is made of how and where they were manufactured. Under the circumstances, the lack of bronze foundry sites and casting debris at Angkor begs an explanation.

Bangles Khmer, Angkor Wat Period, 11th-12th Century Bronze Diameter: 4 in.

AS 602

The ruins of Angkor are located amid forests and farmland to the north of the Great Lake (Tonle Sap) and south of the Kulen Hills, near modern day Siem Reap. The temples of the Angkor area number over one thousand, ranging in scale from nondescript piles of brick rubble scattered through rice fields to the magnificent Angkor Wat, said to be the world’s largest single religious monument. Many of the temples at Angkor have been restored, and together they comprise the most significant site of Khmer architecture.

Bell Khmer, Angkor Wat Period, 11th-12th Century Bronze Height: 3 in.

5039

The ruins of Angkor are located amid forests and farmland to the north of the Great Lake (Tonle Sap) and south of the Kulen Hills, near modern day Siem Reap. The temples of the Angkor area number over one thousand, ranging in scale from nondescript piles of brick rubble scattered through rice fields to the magnificent Angkor Wat, said to be the world’s largest single religious monument. Many of the temples at Angkor have been restored, and together they comprise the most significant site of Khmer architecture.

Gilt Bronze Buddha Thailand, 19th Century Bronze Height 30½ in.

1059

According to old belief, the Buddha’s skin was the color of gold, and the rays of his fiery energy were so intense that his true form could only be seen by means of prolonged meditation. This statue is an instrument for such realization; it is heavily gilded and richly ornamented. Flames rise on all three levels of the base, up the center of the robe, and at the shoulders and lower terminals of the crown.

The Buddha’s austere countenance seems to smolder and glow, highlighting the smooth roundness, the full features and mystical smile of perfect bliss. The hands are in the mudra of “calming the sea, ” a gesture unique to Thai iconography.

Gilt Bronze Buddha Thailand, 19th Century Bronze Height: 24 ½ in.

1060

As in all fine images of the Buddha, the harmony of the proportions is the expression of great beauty. This figure of the Buddha epitomizes this beauty and grace. He stands in Samabhanga, a form in which there is the equal distribution of the body limbs on a central line, with his hands in Namaskara-Mudra (or Anjali Mudra and also referred to as a Wai in Thailand) in prayer, respect, and adoration. This image expresses serene quiescence: the Buddha has a smiling mouth and heavy-lidded downcast eyes. His hair is arranged in rows of small spiral curls, he wears a long cape-like sanghati; a monk’s robe that is folded over the left shoulder with the central sash falling between the legs.

Large Bell Thailand, Dong Son Culture 200 B.C. - AD 200 Bronze Height: 24 in.

AS 997

This well preserved bell is one of the largest known bronzes from the Southeast Asian Bronze Age, generally named after the Dong Son site in North Vietnam. The swirling band design is finely and crisply cast.

Helmet Mask Batak People, Sumatra Wood Height: 16 in.

AS 1076

This large mask was fashioned from a single piece of wood, depicted with mouth open, large eyes, sharply defined cheeks, large ears, helmet form where mask covers the entire head. This is used in the “patortorhon ugas ni tondi”, men’s funerary dance Located in the mountainous highlands of northern Sumatra, the Batak are one of the largest indigenous groups in Indonesia. They are divided into six groups, the Toba, Pak Pak/Dairi, Karo, Angkola, Mandailing, and Simalungun, and have an estimated total population of 3 million.

Hudog Mask Borneo Island, Kenyah Dayak, Early 20th Century 25 x 22 x 9 in.

AS 1096

Masks of this type are typically from Long Narwang village, the seat of power for the paramount chiefs of the Kenyah tribes in the region. This mask was used in agricultural rituals and to welcome important guests. It represents a godly face with curled ears and headdress with the three curls coming out of the forehead of the face representing a stylized hornbill with beak and cask.

Mask Borneo Island, Kenyah Dayak Wood Height: 12 in.

OC 107

The word Dayak stands for “dweller of the hinterland�. It generally refers to the indigenous (non-Malay, non-Chinese) peoples of Indonesian Borneo who live along the banks of the Barito, Kahayan, Katingan, Kapuas and Mentaya rivers as well as in the surrounding areas. Culturally on the Southern Borneo, the Dayak belief is a Kaharingan, or animist, people divided into several groups who have oral literature only. This mask is made of carved wood and used in tribal ceremonies.

Dance Mask for a Prince Ceylon, 19th Century Wood Height: 25 in.

AS 948

Provenance: Jan Visser, Amsterdam (1978) In islands famous for worshipping demons believed to be living in trees and mountains, devil masks are in popular usage for ungodly practices. Masks used in various dramatic rituals in Ceylon can be classified as mythological, demonic, animal-spirit and human figures.

The significance and designs of mythological masks are associated with iconography of the folk religions of the historical period. This particular mask was used in ceremonies surrounding a prince.

“Maira” Ancestor Figure Abelm Tribe, New Guinea Height: 36 in.

OC 117

The Abelam people are agriculturalists living in the hilly regions north of the Sepik River. They painted the façade of their decorated men’s houses with representations of ancestral spirits connected to the fertility of the gardens. By itself, the house represents male and female generative and fertility notions. Abelam art finds its highest expression in the elaborate sculptures created for the nggwalndu cycle. These painted wooden figures represent supernatural beings associated with the growth of yams and the prosperity of individual clans.

Spoons Ifugao tribe, Phillipines Wood Dimensions variable

AS 809, AS811, AS812, AS813, AS814

The Ifugao, immortalized by their magnificent rice terraces; inhabit the rugged terrain of the extensive Cordillera Mountain Ranges of Central Luzon. They have developed and maintained a distinct culture which until recently has resisted outside influences. Until modern times ended their isolation, the only world they knew was their environment of towering mountain ranges and rolling hills. The Ifugao are highly skillled craftsmen renowned for their creations which in form and function have been refined over generations. Enjoyment is derived from objects that are both functional and pleasing to the eye; even such utilitarian items as baskets, spoons and bowls are as handsomely crafted as are artifacts and effigies made for the gods.

Although secular and religious objects share many of the same images and decorative elements, only those specifically intended for ceremonial use are ritually empowered and in a sense, given life.

Bell Phillipines Wood and rope 36 in.

OC 102

Lasara Head Nias People, Indonesia, 19th/20th Century Stone Height: 17 in.

OC 113

The Indonesian island of Nias has earned an international reputation for its dramatic forms of indigenous visual arts. The islanders produced some of the most spectacular examples of architecture, stone work, wooden sculpture seen anywhere in the archipelago. The Lasara is the dragon-like royal protective creature of South Nias. The need for protection against evil spirits and the forgotten dead is expressed in every facet of daily life, as evidenced by a display of everyday artifacts on which are depicted strange protecting animals– aso (Borneo), singa (Sumatra), lasara (Nias) – connected with myths of the beginnings of time. This Lasara is a composite mythical animal with a dragon-like head and a bird-like tail.

Pre-Columbian

Large Seated Figure Pre-Columbian Mexico, Jalisco Culture Proto-Classic Period (100 B.C.-A.D.250) Height: 17 in.

PR161 / 1034

Jalisco sculpture is characterized, within the broader West Mexico figurine tradition, by its thick-rimmed, romboid-shaped eyes and elongated heads. The ceramic sculpture of Jalisco was used as funerary offerings in the tombs of members of important families.

These ancient bottle-shaped shaft tombs contained the bundled, wrapped remains of people who lived from 200 B.C. to 250 A.D. The shaft tombs were filled with clay bowls, figurines, and other objects created to accompany the honored dead on their journey after life.

Painted Cylinder Vase - Chain Mayan (600-850 AD) Painted pottery Height: 8 in.

PR 173

During the classical period the ancient Maya made numerous straight-sided ceramic vessels that were painted around the outside with elaborate, multi-figured scenes. The intense artistic mosaics that grace the walls of the ancient masterpieces reveal stories of rulers, the underworld (Xibalba), Maya creation, and even the particular function of the vessel.

Painted Cylinder Vase - Tall Mayan (600-850 AD) Painted pottery Height: 10 1/2 in.

PR 175

During the classical period the ancient Maya made numerous straight-sided ceramic vessels that were painted around the outside with elaborate, multi-figured scenes. The intense artistic mosaics that grace the walls of the ancient masterpieces reveal stories of rulers, the underworld (Xibalba), Maya creation, and even the particular function of the vessel.

Painted Cylinder Vase - Gods Mayan (600-850 AD) Painted pottery Height: 8 in.

PR 174

During the classical period the ancient Maya made numerous straight-sided ceramic vessels that were painted around the outside with elaborate, multi-figured scenes. The intense artistic mosaics that grace the walls of the ancient masterpieces reveal stories of rulers, the underworld (Xibalba), Maya creation, and even the particular function of the vessel.

Japan

Suzuki Masayoshi Massive Koro Signed, Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912), c. 1880 Bronze Height: 92 in.

1068 / AS 559

It was during the late Meiji period that exquisite examples of bronzes, such as this one, were first seen by the West during the international expositions. It was only the Japanese that understood the value of color in metal. In many examples we see gold, silver, copper, zinc, black-metal, and tea-urn bronze. The highly naturalistic eagles trace their origins to eighteenth and nineteenth century painting styles, reflecting earlier European influence, which continued to flourish in the Meiji Era.

Massive Figure of Jimmu Signed, Japan, Meiji Period Bronze Height: 78 in.

1052

This equistely cast bronze figure represents the mythical first emporer of Japan. It is not certain whether he actually existed or whether he may have been a composite figure. According to common belief, Jimmu founded the dynasty about 660 BC and died at well over 100 years of age. Modern historians consider that the legendary figure was in fact based on a successful local chieftain who probably lived about six hundred years later. He is thought to have established his capital at Kashiwabara, between present-day Osaka and Nara, and gave the name Yamato to what is now Japan.

China

Dragon Architectural Panel China, Ming Dynasty circa 14th century Carved stone Width: 44 in.

AS 420

China returned to Chinese hands following the overthrow of the Mongol court and the establishment of the Ming Dynasty. It was a period of national consolidation. Emphasis was placed on the superiority of the ruler and the ruling class. Occupying the Throne of Heaven, the Emperor was the ultimate authority. Artistically and intellectually, it was truly a period of renaissance. The Tang and Song dynasties were considered role models for the Ming. Artistic endeavors drew heavily on the past: painters were encouraged to imitate the Song style, potters used classical forms and decorations which now incorporated Mongol introduced designs. By utilizing major technical advances they were able to produce wares of great size and delicacy. The Chinese dragon, an emblem reserved for the imperial regime, was heavily used on imperial architecture - on the roofs, on the beams and pillars, and on the doors.

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