Bone Head - Ife - Benin-Nigeria

04
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18
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Starting bid
€ 1
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Dimitri André
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Selected by Dimitri André

Holds a postgraduate degree in African studies and 15 years experience in African art.

Estimate  € 350 - € 400
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Original bone head sculpture titled 'Tête en Os' by the Ifé culture, from Benin–Nigeria, 28 cm high, 17 cm wide, 15 cm deep, in good condition and sold without a stand.

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Description from the seller

Ifé Bone Head – Benin / Nigeria

This bone-sculpted head embodies the art of the Ifé people, a historic ethnicity of Benin and the southwest of Nigeria, renowned for their artistic mastery and advanced metallurgy, as well as for their realistic and symbolic sculptures.

Ifé heads were used to represent kings, ancestors, or deities, playing a central role in royal rites, cults and spiritual ceremonies, and symbolizing wisdom, power, and the continuity of lineages.

The piece features delicate, well-proportioned contours, with realistic modeling, precise facial details, and a smooth surface that highlight the ancestral craftsmanship.

It reflects both an antique aesthetic, bearing witness to the Ifé practices and ancestral traditions, and a contemporary interpretation, allowing it to be integrated into modern collections while preserving its cultural and patrimonial value.

Ifé Bone Head – Benin / Nigeria

This bone-sculpted head embodies the art of the Ifé people, a historic ethnicity of Benin and the southwest of Nigeria, renowned for their artistic mastery and advanced metallurgy, as well as for their realistic and symbolic sculptures.

Ifé heads were used to represent kings, ancestors, or deities, playing a central role in royal rites, cults and spiritual ceremonies, and symbolizing wisdom, power, and the continuity of lineages.

The piece features delicate, well-proportioned contours, with realistic modeling, precise facial details, and a smooth surface that highlight the ancestral craftsmanship.

It reflects both an antique aesthetic, bearing witness to the Ifé practices and ancestral traditions, and a contemporary interpretation, allowing it to be integrated into modern collections while preserving its cultural and patrimonial value.

Details

No. of items
1
Ethnic group/ culture
Ife
Country of Origin
Benin-Nigeria
Material
Bone
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Good condition
Title of artwork
Bone Head
Height
28 cm
Width
17 cm
Depth
15 cm
Authenticity
Original/official
FranceVerified
7642
Objects sold
95.49%
pro

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