African tribal art - Fang Ntumu Du Byeri ancestor figure

Ex-collection of French African tribal art, the name of this renowned collector will be communicated to the buyer.

This African sculpture illustrates Ntumu-style statuary from the regions between Gabon, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. With its glossy black patina and eroded areas, it bears witness to the distinctive artistic heritage of this region.

Among the Fang of Cameroon and Gabon, each family owns a "Byeri", a reliquary box designed to house the bones of ancestors. These boxes were entrusted to the care of the oldest man in the village, the "esa". Topped by a statue or head acting as a guardian, the "byeri" boxes were carefully kept in a dark corner of the hut. Their role was to divert evil influences to other individuals. They were also used during initiation ceremonies for young members of the "So" society. During the festivities, the statues were separated from their boxes and paraded, held by the posterior peduncle.

The Fang ethnic group, stretching from Yaoundé in Cameroon to the Ogooué in Gabon, never formed a unified political unit. Clan cohesion was maintained by religious and judicial associations such as the "So" and the "Ngil".