KISSI Guinea, central region 8,7 x 5 cm Steatite... Lot 4

KISSI Guinea, central region 8,7 x 5 cm Steatite figure. This depicts the head of a male character that the Mende people called Mahen Yafe, which means “Spirit of the Chief”.The face is sculpted following styles that characterise these precious stones.Their function was to depict the faces of the chiefs of the Sapi, groups of people who were already living in Sierra Leone’s coastal region before 1500.They are considered rarer than Nomoli.The characteristics that distinguish them are a large face cast on a horizontal plane; protruding, slanting eyelids; a nose with flared nostrils; large rings on the ears; and an elaborate hairstyle with diamond-shaped incisions. PROVENANCE Galleria Paolo Morigi, Lugano (1978); Collection of Walter Schwab, Bern (inv. WS 235); NOTE Lot not located at Finarte offices but in Switzerland. It could be subject to customs costs related to the importation into the buyer’s country. In any event, any customs cost and/or burden related to importation shall be borne by the buyer. For more information, please write an email to arteafricana@finarte.it