A Temne Male Figure...

Description

A Temne Male Figure
Sierra Leone, First half of the 20th century

The standing male figure holding two snakes in each hand, their tails curving up and down his back. He wears squared-off and rounded flanges attached to a wide belt and a similar collar. His headdress has a protruding horn at forehead and large floriform discs at sides. The wood blackened all over with faded red and brown pigments. In good condition, missing front of feet, his proper left arm broken off at the shoulder and reattached with metal staples, erosion at back of headdress and legs.

This is a rare male version of the West African goddess of fortune called Mami Wata. The imagery derives from East Indian snake charmers combined with traditional West African motifs.

Provenance:
Property from the Collection of Dr. Richard and Jan Baum, Los Angeles, CA, purchased October 1989
Pace Primitive, New York, NY
Ex Tara Collection, London, UK

Published:
Werner Gillon, Collecting African Art, Studio Vista & Christie's, 1980, page 103.

Height: 23 inches

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