A fine Kota reliquary guardian figure

the lozenge-shaped body, fragmentary at the base, supporting the ringed neck and large head with a scooped oval facial plane in relief with a pointed nose and disc-shaped eyes attached with iron nails and framed by two rounded flanges with tendrils to the sides and surmounted by a crescent at the crown; the whole overlaid with brass and copper sheets; '61' in white pigment and '318 61' in pigment at the base; fine aged surface overall.

Acquired in the 1960's from Merton D. Simpson, New York

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Milwaukee Public Museum, Selections from the William W. Brill Collection of African Art, May 5 – August 31, 1969 (for additional venues see bibliography, Milwaukee 1969)

Milwaukee 1969: 28, figure 42
Lehuard 1978: 18
Perrois 1979: figure 184
Chaffin and Chaffin 1980: 315, figure 198 and 225, figure 126