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Dimitri André

A Mumuye sculpture, Nigeria, standing his thick indented legs, cylindric abdomen widening up at the chest, finlike arms protruding navel, thick neck carrying a small head, nicely incised features composed of a square mouth, triangular shaped nose, striking rounded eyes, the large ears are falling on both sides of the face and are hollow, a typical trait of the Mumuye style; traces of insect damage, some wear through out, cracks, signs of use.

“It was not until the late 1960s that statues from the Mumuye culture of northeastern Nigeria appeared on the European art scene. Their impact was immediate and profound: African art aficionados marvelled at Mumuye artists’ abstract interpretation of the human body, which recalled the approach to anatomy by artists of the Cubist and Expressionist movements. Indeed, anthropomorphic Mumuye figure sculptures demonstrate an astonishing range of variations, testifying to their makers’ unbridled creativity and limitless inventiveness.”

Source: Mumuye Sculpture from Nigeria, Reinventing the Human Figure.
Further reading: Frank Hermann, Mumuye Sculpture from Nigeria, The Human Figure reinvented.

"Until the 1970s most Mumuye sculptures were misattributed to their neighbours, the Chamba. With no royal system, the Mumuye are organised by age classes and choose a village chief who is assisted by a council of elders. The vabong secret society regulates Mumuye's religious life. Entry into the society is achieved through initiation ceremonies. The initiation of boys begins at the age of ten and takes place in a tsafi hut, where the statues are kept.
Even though the Mumuye shows great respect for the sculls of the ancestors, their statuary does not depict ancestors, but rather incarnate tutelary spirits. Yet, statues reinforce the status and prestige of their owner who, as he holds them in his hands, has a dialogue with them and thus ensures his personal protection. The functions of sculptural figures are varied. They were used by both diviners and healers, whose professions included diagnosis and cure of ill health and other kinds of misfortunes. The figures were used to greet rainmaker's clients, guard the house, serve as the owner's confidant, and in trials when men in dispute swear on the statue, which they must kiss. Elders used them to reinforce their status in society. It was not unusual for a figure simultaneously to serve two or more functions. Sources: Zyama.com

Lit.: Frank Herreman and Constantine Petridis, The Discovery of Mumuye Art. In: Frank Herreman, Mumuye. Sculpture from Nigeria. The Human Figure Reinvented, Milan 2016, p. 9 (8-13). Alan, G. Wilkonson, p. 608 ff, Primitivism in 20th Century Art, Prestel, ed. William Rubin, 1996.

Weight: 14,3 kg

Nigeria - Fair condition -  heavily used & with possibly minor parts missing

Figure - Wood

African & Tribal Art

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