African tribal art - Statue Dan

Ex Belgian private collection.

In the past, Dan sculptors received rewards such as women, food, festive ceremonies and honourable status when they demonstrated a talent for sculpture revealed in dreams. These dreams were considered to be communications with Du, the invisible spiritual power, creating a link between the spiritual world and that of men. Although rare, the statuary conferred great prestige on its owner.

Dan sculptures mainly represented effigies of wives, called "l༠mà¤", which were human representations made of wood. Unlike incarnations of spirits or effigies of ancestors, these sculptures depicted living people and were often commissioned by chiefs and then named in their honour. These works were placed in specially built miniature huts, underlining their symbolic importance.

The collection of tribal art by Guy Mercier, a consultant for the Solvay group, began in the early 20th century. During his work in West and Central Africa, he acquired works locally. However, the majority of his collection came from the 'cabinets of curiosity' popular in European capitals in the 1920s. Guy Mercier also acquired pieces from prestigious galleries in Paris, Brussels, London and New York. This collection was then entrusted to his grandson, Jean Charles Mercier.