A fragmentary Lobi sculpture

A fragmentary Lobi sculpture of unknown origin with coffeebean eyes; blackened, partly encrusted patina.

Early Lobi colon figures, dating from the late 19th to early 20th century, tend to be highly abstract and compact, emphasizing the head and torso over limbs. These figures often have a rectilinear or blocky silhouette, with minimal facial details, sometimes limited to incised eyes or a simple nose ridge. The arms, when present, are short and pressed to the body, and legs may be either stumpy or suggested by the base. Surfaces were frequently treated with red ochre or white kaolin, applied ritually, and some figures were wrapped with fiber or leather to enhance their spiritual potency. These early examples were intended primarily for domestic shrines, serving as mediators between the family and the thil spirits of the bush.

By the mid-20th century, colon figures began to show greater variation in proportion and detail, reflecting both local stylistic evolution and contact with collectors and traders. Some figures display elongated forms, more pronounced facial features, and carved indications of hands or feet. The ritual application of pigments continued, though in some cases the surface was polished or smoothed for aesthetic appeal, especially when objects were made with potential exchange or sale in mind. Small metal attachments or amulets were occasionally affixed to the torso to enhance protective or spiritual efficacy.

Late 20th-century examples increasingly blur the line between traditional ritual object and collector art, with some figures showing more elaborate decoration, delicate carving, or hybrid features drawn from other regional styles. Despite this, their functional role as protective household figures remained central in Lobi society, and the figures were often integrated into family compound altars where offerings of food, kola nuts, or tobacco maintained their active potency.

Anthropologists note that across this chronological spectrum, the essence of the colon figure is its active relational quality: it is a conduit between the human and spirit world, rather than an object created solely for aesthetic appreciation. The variations over time reflect both practical ritual needs and responses to external influences, including colonial presence, missionary interference, and later, the art market.

Height: 15 cm
Weight: 90 g