Rare commemorative head of Oba dignitary in wood,... Lot 35

Rare commemorative head of Oba dignitary in wood, hammered native copper and applied in various places with pimitive staples. Some old localized erosions. It is masterfully carved. Her face presents a beautiful hieratic expression, the large eyes open as a sign of vigilance. The mouth, with its thick lips, is in the form of two horizontal lines directly adjoining the base of a short, blunt nose. The lower part of the sculpture shows the representation of a multi-row necklace (odigba), a symbol of power. A lateral ostrich feather, a symbol of high rank reserved for chiefs, completes the ornamentation of the head. Kingdom of Benin, Nigeria, 19th century. Height: 39 cm. Provenance: - Former private collection, Paris