A large, ancient statue in the classical style of the great - Lot 113

A large, ancient statue in the classical style of the great Mumuyé statuary, with short legs and arms enveloping a large, elongated body. Here, the neck is strong and marked all over the back with large engraved striae, and similarly, on both sides of the head, these striae undulate in a particularly harmonious way. At the back of her head, she appears to be wearing two small horns, or perhaps two braids emerging from the headdress. Her two pairs of eyes are also clearly visible here, the eyes of the face and the eyes of the spirit. The carving of the head and the expression of the face and mouth imprinting its pout are particularly successful, the whole embellished by its superb, thick patina of use. It should be noted that this statue, collected by Edward Klejman, made the trip to New York and was part of the very first exhibition ever organized on Mumuye statuary; an exhibition organized by Klejman in 1974 in his New York apartment at 79th and Park Avenue. Mumuye, Nigeria, late 19th - early 20th century Hardwood, old erosions, superb old oxidation, and very fine old patina. Height: 89cm Provenance Edward Klejman, Paris Stéphane Kurc Collection, Paris Exhibition: Klejman, New York, Mumuye, 1974