The Horstmann Bateba Lobi figure, Burkina Faso.

19th centrury. Perhaps the finest example known, these Bateba figures were recognized as living ancestors, placed on the shrines of the thila (supernatural spirits) and protected against bad influences. The Horstmann Bateba is a sculptural masterpiece, showing the highest purity of abstraction among the Lobi canon. With an important publication and exhibition history, it is a key work in the wide range of Bateba figures. Wood, 62 cm high (VJ)

Published:
Karl-Ferdinand Schädler 'Götter, Geister, Ahnen', 1992, p. 66; 'Lobi: Chez les devins du pays Lobi',199, by Gottschalk (Burkhard) cover and p. XIV no. 29.