Superbe tête reliquaire, Tsogho, Gabon

Hélène et Philippe Leloup, Paris
Christine Valluet - Yann Ferrandin, Paris
Collection Lionel Sergent

Exposée et reproduite dans:
Leloup, Gabon, l'ordre du sacré. Masques et statues des peuples de l'Ogooué, 1988, n° 13, catalogue de l'exposition, Galerie Leloup, Paris, juin 1988

Very good condition overall. Wear consistent with age and use within the culture: chips; losses to the base; thin crack filled to the proper left side, as visible in the catalogue illustration. Very fine nuanced dark brown patina.
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Dans le corpus des figures de reliquaire - œuvres les plus emblématiques des arts du Gabon -, celles relevant du style Tsogho sont les plus rares. Plus exceptionnelles encore sont celles dont la forme est résumée à la tête, comme ici. 

Précieusement conservées dans une sorte de tabernacle au fond du temple du Bwiti - l'ebanza - et parfois exposées aux initiés lors des rites de passage, elles signifient, par la force de leur sculpture, la puissance protectrice de ces figures commémoratives.

Chaque trait, depuis le cou étiré jusqu'aux ornements métalliques, accentue l'impact de l'effet visuel. La force expressive du visage anguleux se concentre dans le rythme serré des traits rapprochés, accentué par les rehauts métalliques. A l'acuité du regard aux pupilles signifiées répond le fil de laiton serti dans la bouche entrouverte, rappelant, selon Falgayrette-Leveau (2006 : 131) le rituel d'absorption par les initiés du Bwiti, de la boulette d'écorce iboga. L'intensité de l'expression est renforcée par les nuances brun rouge de la patine profonde du bois dur ; la coiffure à chignons médians et le cou sont également ornés de bandes métalliques à décor linéaire pointillé, dessinant sur le collier un motif étoilé.

cf. Neyt (2010 : n° 106) pour une tête reliquaire très apparentée présentée dans l'exposition Fleuve Congo (Musée du quai Branly), arborant les mêmes ornements; et LaGamma (2007 : 284, n° 99) pour une autre, dans les collections du Musée Barbier-Mueller.

La base octogonale servait à la stabiliser dans le panier ou le sac contenant les reliques, la patine plus claire indiquant ici la partie qui y était insérée.

Superb Tsogho reliquary head, Gabon

Within the corpus of reliquary figures, which are the most iconic works of art from Gabon, examples from the Tsogho are the most rare. Even more unnusual are those whose whole form is summarized in the head, as with this example.

Carefully preserved in a  kind of tabernacle at the bottom of the Bwiti temple, or ebanza, and sometimes displayed to initiates during rites of passage, the sculptural power is indicative of the protective strength of memorial figures.

Each line, from the neck stretching all the way up to the metal ornaments, accentuates the effectiveness of the visual impact. The expressive power of the angular face is concentrated in the tight rhythm of closely curved lines, accentuated further by the metal highlights. The pupils convey an intense gaze, complimented by the brass wire that delineates the open mouth, which according to Falgayrettes-Leveau (2006 : 131) recalls the Bwiti initate's ritual swallowing of a bark pellet known as iboga. The intensity of the expression is reinforced by the red brown shades of the deep patina. The neck is decorated with a metal band with dots forming a star pattern and the hairstyle is similarly adorned with metal bands decorated with dotted lines.

cf. Neyt (2010 : n^o 106) for a closely related reliquary head displayed in the Fleuve Congo exhibition (Musée du quai Branly), which presents the same ornamentation, and La Gamma (2007 : 284, n^o 99) for another example, in the collection of the Barbier-Mueller museum.

The octagonal base serves to stabilize the head within the basket or bag containing the relics - the lighter patina towards the base of the shaft indicating the place where it would have been inserted into the basket.