Fang Bieri Reliquary Figure Feathers Equatorial Guinea African Art Collection
AvailabilityIn stock
SKU
128874
Special Price
$290.00
Regular Price
$450.00
US Shipping
$32.98
| Brand | Unbranded |
|---|---|
| Title | Fang Bieri Reliquary Figure Feathers Equatorial Guinea African Art Collection |
| Type of Object | Carving, Figure, Statue, Sculpture |
| Country of Origin | Equatorial Guinea or Gabon |
| People | Fang |
| Materials | Wood, pigment, reeves |
| Approximate Age | 20th Century |
| Height (in) | 16 |
| Width (in) | 7.5 |
| Depth (in) | 7.5 |
| Dimensions | Height: 16 Inches Width: 7.5 Inches Depth: 7.5 Inches |
| Overall Condition | Good. Most of our pieces have spent decades on at least two continents, and have been treasured by several owners. Small splits, scrapes and cracks are a normal part of their patina attesting to their age and extensive use. We examine each piece carefully when we receive it and report any damage we find in our listings. Please look carefully at the pictures which may also reveal condition and damage. |
| Damage/Repair | Cracks and embedded dirt |
Additional Information: As some of the most powerful and best know sculptural forms emerging from Africa, Fang figures hold a prominent place in the history of African art. As reliquary guardians, Fang figures often appear as though they are slightly crouched with legs slightly bent or shown in a seated position with a narrow stick-like extension often reaching downwards from the buttocks. Often, the byeri reliquary held the bones of ancestors and were venerated through annual ceremonies at which they were present in the form of the sculptures. Photographed as early as 1907, the cult of Byeri began to lose its prominence after 1910 due to colonial government pressure. In the past, figures would often be embellished with native copper bands around arms or wrists and some would hold in front of them miniature ancestor figures or carved animal horns known as Nlakh or small cups used in byeri rituals.
Provenance:
From the Collection of Robert Pearson, Denver, Colorado
Bob Pearson began collecting African art later in his life. He was an engineer, inveterate climber, and long-time collector of books and paintings. Spurred by the Douglas Society at the Denver Museum of Art, and his friendship with noted collector George Heggarty, he began building an enormous, eclectic collection. His African art library grew to several hundred books. He loved textiles and “material culture”-things which had domestic use, like spoons, cups, stools, and chairs, as well as masks and carvings. His collection included items from more than thirty African countries, and his fine eye gave him pieces ranging from a golddust scale to huge Dogon figural ladders. Africa Direct is honored to have been chosen to sell them.