Sale Number:PF1408 resultaten
OVERVIEW
Devoted to works of varied private provenance, our upcoming Paris African and Oceanic Arts auction in will offer a panoramic spread of the leading styles of African and Oceanic Art, with several masterpieces reflecting the individuality of the most gifted master carvers.
Ever since it was discovered by members of the Avant-Garde at the start of the 20th century, Fang statuary has been considered the apex of African sculpture. On the eve of the First World War, however, these pieces remained very rare, and even today fewer than ten works are known from the most rarefied corpus of Fang statuary: that of the Fang Mabea (Cameroon). The most important of these works – and the only one still in private hands – will be offered for sale at Sotheby’s Paris on 18 June.
This spectacular figure (2ft3in/67cm tall), hovering between realistic detail and idealised shape, constitutes the apotheosis of the style. According to Louis Perrois it may evoke a female ancestor venerated for her abundant offspring, and it ranks as a masterful archetypal piece of African statuary. The refinement of the carving, and the perfectly smooth surfaces of the dense, light wood, both point to ancient tradition. Connoisseurs will admire the delicacy of certain details, like the design of the hollowed shoulders (typical of the Mabea style) embellished with motifs unknown elsewhere in Fang art.
We are currently accepting consignments until end of April, for more information please contact one of our specialists.
Selected highlights from the forthcoming sales of African & Ocenic Art in New York and Paris will be on view at Galerie Charpentier from 9 to 12 and 14 to 17 April. Opening on 8 April at 6:30 PM.
Exhibition Times
Paris
- Fri, 13 Jun 14 | 10:00 AM – 06:00 PM CEST
- Sat, 14 Jun 14 | 02:00 PM – 06:00 PM CEST
- Mon, 16 Jun 14 | 10:00 AM – 06:00 PM CEST
- Tue, 17 Jun 14 | 10:00 AM – 06:00 PM CEST
