Jun 3, 2021
Fang Head, Gabon,
Cephalomorphic reliquary figures are remarkably rare. They were exclusively sculpted by the Fang-Betsi of the Ogooué Valley, who also carved anatomically complete statuettes.
Among all the Fang works that have been recovered, the Vlaminck-Périnet head stands out as the majestic work of a sculptor at the pinnacle of his art. Perched at the top of a long, cylindrical neck, the image emerges, calm and tranquil, from the tormented world of the ancestors, like an impassive queen who creates an impression of grandeur and immobility.
High. 35 cm (13 ¾ in.)
From the Michel Périnet Collection
Courtesy Christie’s