No. 105451822

Sold
A bone sculpture - Ewe - Togo  (No reserve price)
Final bid
€ 55
No reserve price
3 weeks ago

A bone sculpture - Ewe - Togo (No reserve price)

This female bone Ewe statuette, from the village of Aklakou in southeastern Togo, is part of the religious and figurative traditions of the Ewe people. Their sculptures are closely linked to ancestor worship, protective practices, and spiritual transmission. These figures often embodied cultic power and were part of local shrines or domestic rituals. The combination of an anthropomorphic representation and a spiritual duality reveals complex notions of visibility, ancestral presence, and metaphysical transformation. The standing female figure is depicted in a subtly dynamic pose: her torso is slightly inclined to the side, while her gaze is directed over her left shoulder. This asymmetrical composition creates a striking impression of vibrancy and inner tension. The high forehead, long, finely styled hair, as well as the earrings and necklace, reflect the ideals of beauty and status in the region. The vase balanced on her head could allude to ritual sacrifices or the symbolic function of the maternal and nurturing role. The second face, beneath her knees, is particularly striking. With its pointed ears, open mouth, and frontal appearance, it evokes an emerging spiritual presence or an ancestral being. The figure thus unites fertility, protection, and mediation with the afterlife in a single iconographic whole. A glossy patina and traces of wear attest to prolonged cultic use and repeated ritual handling. Overall, sculptures from the Aklakou area emphasize linear elegance, reduced anatomical detail, and careful surface finishing, reflecting the small-scale carving techniques practiced in southeastern Togo. Literature (Selection) Jaenicke-Njoya archive CAB49149 Blier, Suzanne Preston: African Vodun: Art, Psychology, and Power. Chicago 1995. Rosenthal, Judy: Possession, Ecstasy, and Law in Ewe Voodoo. Charlottesville 1998. Herskovits, Melville J.: Dahomey: An Ancient West African Kingdom. New York 1938. Maupoil, Bernard: La Géomancie à l’ancienne Côte des Esclaves. Paris 1943. Some of the information is generated by artificial intelligence and is based on published sources from the fields of ethnography, archaeology, and art history. Informant Amadou M*A*Z*1*6*0*1*7* The seller guarantees and can prove that the object was obtained legally. The seller was informed by Catawiki that they had to provide the documentation required by the laws and regulations in their country of residence. The seller guarantees and is entitled to sell/export this object. The seller will provide all provenance information known about the object to the buyer. The seller ensures that any necessary permits are/will be arranged. The seller will inform the buyer immediately about any delays in obtaining such permits.

No. 105451822

Sold
A bone sculpture - Ewe - Togo  (No reserve price)

A bone sculpture - Ewe - Togo (No reserve price)

This female bone Ewe statuette, from the village of Aklakou in southeastern Togo, is part of the religious and figurative traditions of the Ewe people. Their sculptures are closely linked to ancestor worship, protective practices, and spiritual transmission. These figures often embodied cultic power and were part of local shrines or domestic rituals. The combination of an anthropomorphic representation and a spiritual duality reveals complex notions of visibility, ancestral presence, and metaphysical transformation.

The standing female figure is depicted in a subtly dynamic pose: her torso is slightly inclined to the side, while her gaze is directed over her left shoulder. This asymmetrical composition creates a striking impression of vibrancy and inner tension. The high forehead, long, finely styled hair, as well as the earrings and necklace, reflect the ideals of beauty and status in the region. The vase balanced on her head could allude to ritual sacrifices or the symbolic function of the maternal and nurturing role.

The second face, beneath her knees, is particularly striking. With its pointed ears, open mouth, and frontal appearance, it evokes an emerging spiritual presence or an ancestral being. The figure thus unites fertility, protection, and mediation with the afterlife in a single iconographic whole. A glossy patina and traces of wear attest to prolonged cultic use and repeated ritual handling.

Overall, sculptures from the Aklakou area emphasize linear elegance, reduced anatomical detail, and careful surface finishing, reflecting the small-scale carving techniques practiced in southeastern Togo.

Literature (Selection)
Jaenicke-Njoya archive CAB49149
Blier, Suzanne Preston: African Vodun: Art, Psychology, and Power. Chicago 1995.
Rosenthal, Judy: Possession, Ecstasy, and Law in Ewe Voodoo. Charlottesville 1998.
Herskovits, Melville J.: Dahomey: An Ancient West African Kingdom. New York 1938.
Maupoil, Bernard: La Géomancie à l’ancienne Côte des Esclaves. Paris 1943.

Some of the information is generated by artificial intelligence and is based on published sources from the fields of ethnography, archaeology, and art history.

Informant Amadou

M*A*Z*1*6*0*1*7*

The seller guarantees and can prove that the object was obtained legally. The seller was informed by Catawiki that they had to provide the documentation required by the laws and regulations in their country of residence. The seller guarantees and is entitled to sell/export this object. The seller will provide all provenance information known about the object to the buyer. The seller ensures that any necessary permits are/will be arranged. The seller will inform the buyer immediately about any delays in obtaining such permits.

Final bid
€ 55
No reserve price
Dimitri André
Expert
Estimate  € 180 - € 220

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