A female ancestral figure of the Bangwa

A female ancestral figure of the Bangwa from Western Cameroon in the form of a pregnant woman standing on large wedge-shaped feet ending in bent legs. The Bangwa are memorial statues. They often remind the living to pay their respects to the deceased. It exudes a certain strength with the accentuated curvature of the torso leading to a dynamic forward movement of the shoulders. The facial expression is characteristic of the Bangwa species around Foumban. The wide open mouth shows triangular teeth. The bulbous nose makes the large bulging eyes and the bulging forehead even more expressive, the short thick neck is adorned with a necklace of animal teeth, both hands touch the belly of the pregnant woman underneath the tapering breasts, partly heavily encrusted sacrificial patina, several age cracks, an insect damage on the left foot and almost invisible repairs on both legs, incl. proof of origin and provenance.

Photo Man Ray, 1934, woman with a Bangwa sculpture.

Height: 82,5 cm
Weight: 8,7 kg