Statue, Mumuye, Nigeria

Collection du D^r Pierre Danhaive, Namur
Christine Valluet - Yann Ferrandin, Paris
Collection Lionel Sergent

Wear consistent with age and use within the culture. Two old cracks filled, the first one running along the base of the neck to the abdomen and the other one to the front side of the hip, as visible in the catalogue illustration; the tip of the proper right foot is broken and glued. The proper right eye is reattached.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Parmi le riche corpus des statues Mumuye - révélées en Occident à la fin des années 1960 et immédiatement considérées comme l'une des expressions majeures de l'art africain - n'ont encore été identifiés que quelques styles, parmi lesquels celui dit "de la coiffure en casque".

Ce style se distingue par le traitement de la tête, où le visage se fond dans le volume de la coiffure en casque à larges rabats, mais également par ses proportions. Il relève fondamentalement du type dit "trapu", considéré par de Grunne comme "le style le plus accompli plastiquement, et donc le plus "classique" de la statuaire Mumuye" (in Mains de Maîtres, 2001 : 86). Les jambes, radicalement raccourcies, mettent en valeur la puissance du torse, accentuant au regard de la tête les dynamiques opposées de lecture - concave/convexe et ascendante/descendante (Kerchache, Paudrat et Stéphan, 1988 : 547).