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THBPair of Early 20th C. Kuba Wooden Initiation Figures
Lot 153
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$3,500 - $5,000
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| $0 | $25 |
| $300 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Feb 21, 2019
Set Reminder
2019-02-21 10:00:00
2019-02-21 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities, Asian, Ethnographic
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-asian-ethnographic-3858
An important one-day auction featuring museum-worthy examples of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine Art, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
An important one-day auction featuring museum-worthy examples of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine Art, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (472)
- Lot Description
Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kuba peoples, ca. early 20th century CE. A fine set of two stylized male and female anthropomorphic initiation figures, each hand-carved from soft wood. The figures stand atop delineated legs with thick thighs and delineated genitalia in-between, bent arms held tightly to the stocky torsos, and the woman's abdomen is distended beneath pendulous breasts, perhaps as a sign of pregnancy. The woman's head boasts puffy ovoid eyes beneath high-arching brows, a wide nose, and incised lips beneath a conical coiffure. The man's countenance displays a more dramatic stylization with protruding conical eyes beneath a bulbous head, and a tall coiffure crest projects from atop his head. Traces of faded orange and black pigmentation are visible across the faces and bodies of both figures, making both attractive examples from Central Africa! Custom wooden display stands included. Size: 6" W x 27" H (15.2 cm x 68.6 cm); 28.25" H (71.8 cm) on included custom stand.
The Kuba created many sculpted images of females, both as standing statues and as figural cups for drinking palm wine. The Kuba kingdom was founded at the beginning of the 17th century CE and reached its height in the mid-19th century before contact with Europeans in the late 19th century. Sculptors had a privileged position in the society and used their art to increase their prestige by carving statues like these examples. Figures like this were carved and brought out as part of a masquerade ritual where young men and women are initiated into the Kuba society as adults rather than the unprepared youths they were.
For a stylistically-similar example, please see: Robbins, Warren M. and Nancy Ingram Nooter. "African Art in American Collections: Survey 1989." Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., Pennsylvania, 2004, p. 421, fig. 1070.
Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
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#143969Both figures have losses to parts of feet, legs, bodies, and heads, with fading to original pigmentation, several stable fissures, and light encrustations. Nice earthen deposits and fabulous patina throughout.Condition
- Shipping Info
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