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Lot #9147 - A Fine Old Banama Female Ancestor Figure, Mali Africa, Together with a Fine Old Female Ibeji Figure, Nigeria

  • Auction House:
    Theodore Bruce
  • Sale Name:
    Timed Online Auction | The Todd Barlin Collection of Oceanic African & Asian Art
  • Sale Date:
    05 Dec 2022 ~ 6pm (AEDT)
  • Lot #:
    9147
  • Lot Description:
    A Fine Old Banama Female Ancestor Figure, Mali Africa, Together with a Fine Old Female Ibeji Figure, Nigeria
    the Banama has a custom stand.
    H 45 cm [Banama Figure], 28 cm [Ibeji Figure]
  • Provenance:
    The Todd Barlin Collection of Oceanic & African Art
  • Notes:
    This is a very old figure that came from a USA estate sale a long time ago. Small-scale female figures of this kind are known as nyeleni among the Bamana people of Mali. The figures are an idealization of youthful feminine beauty. Nyeleni figures emphasize a number of distinctive characteristicsómost notably, a rather geometrically derived form. They have prominent conical breasts that project sharply from a flattened chest, hairstyles vary but usually exhibit some variation on a crest like arrangement as with this figure. The aesthetic beauty of such works is heightened by the addition of beads and oil, which is rubbed into the figure to produce a lustrous surface. These additions are comparable to the manner in which young Bamana women prepare themselves for special occasions. Young unmarried Bamana men use nyeleni sculpture to represent the ideal marriageable woman they hope to find as a wife and partner. The Old Female Ibeji Figure is a nice example with old blue trade beads around the neck & waist.
  • Estimate:
    A$400 - 600
  • Realised Price:
    *****

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  • Category:
    Tribal

This Sale has been held and this item is no longer available. Details are provided for information purposes only.



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