Reliquary - Black iron, Bone, Cord, Shells, Straw, Wood - Lumbu - Gabon - 36 cm

Lumbo reliquary guardian statuette (Loumbo) . This ritual object is specific to the "forest peoples" of the geographical area of present-day Gabon and is found among the Fang, Tsogho etc . . . On this example the statuette has a white kaolin face, we see the pigmentation red on the body cylinder which is covered with a crusty patina due to rituals. The wickerwork basket, support of the statuette, is it seems a receptacle of offerings, shells, horns . . . This object was brought back to France by a colonial administrator stationed in Gabès and having traveled to sub-Saharan Africa in very early 20th century and kept since in his family in the Toulouse region.