17 - Shrine figure, "bateba phuwe"

Shrine figure, "bateba phuwe" Lobi. Burkina Faso With a base Wood. H 56 cm. Provenance: - Galerie Walu, Zurich. - 1995: Swiss private collection, Zurich. A certificate from Galerie Walu (1983) will be provided to the buyer. Lobi bateba shrine figures combined a human-like appearance with superhuman qualities. They protected their owners from inaccessible realms such as evil thoughts and witchcraft. Dr. Stephan Herkenhoff, a Lobi collector and recognized expert on the subject, wrote the following about the Lobi in 2006 in “Anonymous Lobi Carvers” (Herkenhoff, Stephan and Petra / Katsouros, Floros and Sigrid. Hanover: Ethnographika Hannover): “The Lobi originally came from Ghana. Around 1770, some of them settled in Burkina Faso, and about 100 years later, they also moved to the Ivory Coast. Today, approximately 180,000 Lobi live in this tri-border region. In 1898, the French colonial authorities grouped the Lobi and their neighboring tribes—such as the Birifor, Dagara, Teguessie (Thuna), Pougouli, and Gan under the term “Cercle du Lobi” for administrative reasons. It is this community we refer to today when we speak of “Lobi art.” A distinctive feature of African art is that the carvers usually remain anonymous. It is generally tribal art that must follow a established canon, and only rarely are they individual creations. For this reason, the carvers are rarely known by name. Collectors of African art are primarily concerned with determining which ethnic group an object originates from. In contrast to conventions in Western art, the names of individual artists are not as important in this context. Among most tribes, the range of variation in the artworks is relatively narrow. The appearance of sculptures or masks has varied only slightly from one generation of carvers to the next. In this respect, Lobi art is a true exception. Here, there is a very wide iconographic variety, both in terms of the size of the statues and in terms of the different rendering of details (mouth, nose, eyes, ears, hairstyles, arm positions, depiction of the chest area, navel, genitals, legs, hands, feet, etc.). One reason for this lies in the structure of the tribe. It is not a centrally governed community, but rather an acephalous society. The Lobi therefore have neither kings nor cities, but only clan chiefs and loose groupings of fortress-like dwellings (called sukalas). Consequently, very little information was exchanged over long distances. This allowed many local styles and sub-styles to develop within the Lobi stylistic tradition. Furthermore, it is not easy to attribute an object to a specific place of origin. This is because Lobi families abandon their place of residence after two or three generations due to depleted farmland and seek out a new area where they can find fertile soil. Consequently, even when asking locals in Africa where a statue comes from, one receives different answers (oral communication from Thomas Waigel). Another distinctive feature of how Lobi statues are created stems from the fact that, in principle, any man can become a carver.” Further reading: Herkenhoff, Stephan and Petra (2013). Carvers of the Lobi. Osnabrück: Stephan Herkenhoff. CHF 2,000 / 4,000 Weight in grams: 1,440 Condition: Hammer Auctions places great importance on providing a careful and as precise as possible description of all lots offered in the catalog. Each lot is documented with several photographs intended to provide as comprehensive an impression of its condition as possible. This includes, in particular, visible signs of wear, irregularities, and age-related changes. We recommend that all interested parties and bidders carefully examine the photographs before submitting a bid, as they form an essential part of the lot description. In addition, we recommend viewing the items in person before the auction, if possible. All condition descriptions are provided to the best of our knowledge and belief and are based on our professional assessment. They are provided for informational purposes only and do not claim to be exhaustive. In particular, there may be age- or use-related characteristics that are neither explicitly mentioned nor visible in the photographs. Hammer Auctions assumes no liability for unintentional errors or omissions in the condition descriptions to the extent permitted by law. However, we always strive to resolve any ambiguities or concerns in a transparent, fair, and straightforward manner. Should a lot differ in material respects from its catalog description, Hammer Auctions offers a return policy in accordance with the following provisions