500 Gallery
Live Auction

Artistic Splendors

Wed, Dec 6, 2023 05:30PM EST
Lot 124

African Lobi Bateba Female Figure

Estimate: $700 - $1,200

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$20,000 $1,000
$50,000 $2,500
$100,000 $500,000
African Tribal Art: Lobi people, Burkina Faso: Bateba figure of a woman. 19th century, circa 1890, carved wood, mounted onto a wooden stand. The upper portion of this rough-hewn figure is patinated and worn smooth from handling.

The Lobi create male and female spirit figure sculptures called bateba, which are considered living beings which may see, communicate, and intervene on behalf of their spirits. They are kept in the homes of their owners, displayed in small shrine rooms used for the worship of ancestors.

9.5H, 11H on stand (inches).

Private Collection, Massachusetts, Private Collection, New York

Condition

Aged, worn condition, with some wood losses as can be seen in the photos.

NOTE: If documentation is not listed, the lot is sold without documents.

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