LUCAS RATTON
STATUETTE KEAKA - NIGERIA
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Ethnic group : KEAKA
Country : Nigeria Period : Late 19th century Material : Wood Height : 40,5 cm Provenance : Formerly in Galerie Wolfgang Keterrer, Munich Formerly in German's collection |
DESCRIPTION
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The Keaka statuary, an ethnic group that lives at the border between Nigeria and Cameroon, is relatively rare and not much documented. Its style is similar to that of their neighbours, the Chamba and the Mumuye.
This statuette represents a standing male figure with both arms folded along the body and the hands framing the abdomen. As it is usual for the statuary of this ethnic group, the crusty patina reinforces both the strong facial expression and the nervousness of the sculpture. The body is standing on its legs that are firmly anchored in the ground. The upper torso represented in minimalist style enhances the body’s rigidity. The threatening face is extended by a long beard. Probably evoking a protector ancestor, this figure was placed outside the enclosure or near crops to protect them, as it is shown by its ritual patina. |
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