MONTOL - Chamba influence, Nigeria. - Lot 7

MONTOL - Chamba influence, Nigeria. Statue representing a standing male figure, standing on massive legs with rounded thighs. The arms are detached from the body, the hands symbolically placed on the edge of the stomach. The chest is swollen, and the face features an intense expression, topped by a sagittal crest. Wood, brown patina, old wear marks, minor erosion on the feet, remnants of localized red decoration. Height Height : 61.5 cm Provenance: former Galerie d'Art Africain, Paris, 1984-1994. The Montol, who live on the central plateau of Nigeria, share stylistic influences with the neighboring Chamba people. Their statuary, often expressive and stylized, is linked to protection cults and ancestral spirits, playing a role in community and initiation rituals.