Bulu statue - Cameroon

ZOOMORPHIC BULU FETISH, CAMEROON, EARLY 20th CENTURY
Carved wood and organic materials. A head with monkey-like features and a human body. Oval face covered with red pigment, featuring a large smiling mouth and large fan-shaped ears, small almond-shaped eyes, and pierced nostrils. Torso without limbs, made of woven hemp fabric and clay, with a cavity in the abdomen marked by two twisted iron nails, and a skirt made of hemp fabric.
Dimensions: 27 x 7 x 8 cm.

PROVENANCE
AUCTION – BABUINO CASA D’ASTE, ROME, JULY 16, 17, 18, 2020 – LOT 553 (esteemed € 700 - € 900)
French family collection, Lyon

Small fetishes, like this one, serve a function of personal and/or family protection. This zoomorphic fetish, with a human body and a monkey head, appears to be covered with an earthy material around the body. In the abdomen, there is a cavity that probably once contained magical substances, later filled with two nails. The removal of the ritual substances from the abdomen and a part of the fetish’s clothing being cut suggest a previous use, later deactivated before being sold to the West.

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FÉTICHE ZOOMORPHE BULU, CAMEROUN, DÉBUT DU XXe SIÈCLE
In carved wood and organic materials. A head with simian features and a human body. Oval face covered with red pigment, with a large smiling mouth and large fan-shaped ears, small almond-shaped eyes and pierced nostrils. Torso without limbs, fashioned with woven hemp fabric and clay, with a cavity in the abdomen marked by two twisted iron nails, hemp fabric skirt.
Dimensions: 27 x 7 x 8 cm.

PROVENANCE
AUCTION – BABUINO CASA D’ASTE, ROME, JULY 16, 17, 18, 2020 – LOT 553 (estimated €700 - €900)
French family collection, Lyon

Small fetishes, like in this case, have a function of personal and/or family protection. This zoomorphic fetish, with a human body and a monkey head, appears covered with earthy material around the body. At the level of the abdomen there is a cavity, which probably contained magical material, later filled with two nails. The removal of ritual substances from the abdomen and a part of the fetish’s clothing cut would indicate a prior use of it, later made inactive before sale to the West.

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FETTICCIO ZOOMORFO BULU, CAMERUN INIZI XX SECOLO
in legno scolpito e materiali organici. Testa dalle fattezze di scimmia e corpo umano. Volto ovale ricoperto da pigmento rosso, con grande bocca sorridente e grandi orecchie a ventaglio, piccoli occhi a mandorla e narici forate. Busto privo di arti, impastato con tessuto intrecciato in canapa e argilla, con cavità nel ventre segnata da due chiodi ritorti in ferro, gonnellino in tessuto di canapa.
Misure cm. 27 x 7 x 8.

PROVENIENZA
ASTA - BABUINO CASA D'ASTE ROMA 16,17,18 LUGLIO 2020 - LOTTO 553 (stima €700 - € 900)
Collezione famiglia francese, Lione

I piccoli feticci, come in questo caso, hanno una funzione di protezione personale e/o familiare. Questo feticcio zoomorfo, da corpo umano e il capo da scimmia, appare ricoperto di materiale terroso intorno al corpo. In corrispondenza dell’addome vi è una cavità, che probabilmente conteneva del materiale magico, riempita successivamente con due chiodi. L’eliminazione delle sostanze rituali nell’addome e una parte della veste del feticcio tagliata, indicherebbero un precedente uso dello stesso, reso poi inattivo prima della vendita all'occidente