Statuette Nimba d'mba yambani Baga Guinea Conakry... Lot 189

Statuette Nimba d'mba yambani Baga Guinea Conakry Wood H.: 21.5 cm. Anthropomorphic statuette with a bust showing a strong chest with drooping breasts decorated with scarification. The lower body is simply composed of four shapeless legs. A thin, cylindrical neck leads to a head that is characterized by its large volume. The face has two large, slightly protruding eyes. It is completed by sacrificial motifs running from the hollow of the ears to the eyes and ending in a circle of scarification marks marking the oval of the face. From the nose starts a small ridge on a large forehead that extends into a transverse ridge ending in the nape of the neck. The hairstyle consists of small braids on either side of the crest surrounding ears worked into a horizontal U-shape. Miniature interpretation of the large Nimba d'mba yambani shoulder mask worn by a man at shoulder level thanks to bars placed between the uprights (which can be seen through holes in the chest. It represents the nurturing woman who protects pregnant women, fights against sterility, attends weddings and also accompanies the deceased to the kingdom of the ancestors. Object made specifically for colonial trade with an obvious decorative interest. Consultant : Jean-Pierre LACOSTE