A terracotta sculpture in the style of Nok, Nigeria, with an oblong face, large downturned triangular eyes with perforated pupils and eyebrows carved over them, a small nose with a septum ring and narrow round mouth open slightly open; a small band with geometric motif separates the large forehead from the coiffure which is carved elaborately with two large buns on top of the head and small ones on the side. Certificate of origin and provenance. Incl stand. “Nok head fragments were once part of entire bodies and are the most renowned objects within the corpus known to date. These objects are so highly varied that it is likely they were modeled individually rather than cast from molds. Although terracottas are usually formed using additive techniques, many Nok pieces were sculpted subtractively in a manner similar to carving. This distinctive approach suggests that a comparable wood-carving tradition may have influenced them. The heads of Nok terracottas are invariably proportionally large relative to the bodies, and while not enough is known of Nok culture to explain this apparent imbalance, it is interesting to note that a similar emphasis of the head in later African art traditions often signifies respect for intelligence.” Source: The Met Museum, New York. TL Analysis, Kotalla, 2010 years +/-14,8 XBD143702