Statue, Fang, Gabon Wood Height: 36.5 cm Provenance: Charles Ratton, Paris Charles Ratton, Paris André Derain Collection, Paris Sidney Burney, London Arthur S Rothenberg Collection, New York Sotheby's, New York, January 20, 1982, no. 242 Douglas Drake, New York Private collection, Hawaii Bonham's, New York, November 12, 2014, no. 299 Seymour Lazar Collection, Palm Springs Transmitted by descent Lempertz, Brussels, February 1, 2023, no. 30 Collection Richard Vinatier (inv. no. 546) This archaic example of Southern Fang statuary reveals the individuality of its creator in the singularity of its sculptural expression. Intended to symbolically evoke the ancestors - in this case, probably a lineage chief - this eyema byeri effigy had the function of protecting the relics of the clan's important deceased (cf. Perrois, Fang, 2006, p. 25). It is distinguished by the particularly expressive workmanship of the head. The impact of the "heart-shaped" face, with its features narrowed beneath the high, rounded forehead, is accentuated by the size of the eyes, once signified by circular copper plates, and whose presence remains in the traces of the resin used to fix them. This anatomical feature is relevant to a number of early Fang works, notably from the Okak/Mekè/Betsi region (Rio Muni and North Gabon). This feature is probably related to the symbolism of the ancestor statues' eyes, endowed with magical clairvoyance. The head also stands out for its interpretation of the axial-crested headdress (nlo-ô-ngo), whose sculptor has singularly amplified the shape of the side buns, to serve as a case for the face. Combining antiquity, originality of composition and subtle balance of volumes, this statue illustrates the individuality and mastery of a Fang artist, whose talent was at the service of community survival.