Large Bangwa Lefem statue, Cameroon The Bangwa's... Lot 34

Large Bangwa Lefem statue, Cameroon The Bangwa's reputation in African art stems above all from their statuary, whose major works are commemorative sculptures of kings, queens, princesses and titled servants, as well as the parents of twins. The Bangwa form a small kingdom within the large Bamileke tribe in western Cameroon. The influence of the Bamileke can be seen in Bangwa statuary, in which the same type of facial features and morphology can be found, although beads are not used. The body position is classical, with the upper and lower limbs bent. Typical of Bamileke country, Bangwa statues often represent fertility, but also power and fighting spirit. They are often placed on either side of enthronement chairs at meetings of notables. 165 x 48 cm 34 kg