An important and very ancient anthropomorphic statue of a ma - Lot 123

An important and very ancient anthropomorphic statue of a male ancestor. In the end, we still know very little about the statuary of the Tem-Tchamba-Kabye complex, even though these ancestor statues were generally couples, male and female. However, whether or not you agree with its radical aesthetic, the Tchamba (or Tem) statue in the Stéphane Kurc collection is one of the most important examples of Togo's Tchamba art, thanks to its power, its radical sculpture, its almost "extraterrestrial" presence, yet so full of humanity, and its venerable age. Discovered and sold by Pierre Robin, like the magnificent statue in the former Durant Dessert collection, the Tchamba statue in the Kurc collection inevitably reminds us of the famous Tem statue in the Berlin museum, published by Vladimir Markov in 1914 (and published in 1918). This publication was recently reprinted by Pierre Amrouche on p.34 of his Mémoire Moba. See for another example of an important Tem statue (Tem Kabye), formerly from the P.Amrouche and then H.and P.Leloup collections, Christie's Paris sale June 23, 2016 lot 252. Tem-Tchamba, Togo, late 19th or early 20th century Heavy hardwood, nails, visible missing legs (old breaks), very fine old oxidation, old erosions and cracks, very fine sacrificial patina from use. Height: 80cm Provenance: Pierre Robin, Paris Pierre Robin, Paris Enchères Rive Gauche, Paris, September 8, 2011, n°178 Stéphane Kurc Collection, Paris Published by Gonseth, Hainard and Kaehr, L'art c'est l'art, 2000, p.192, n°2