Tribal Art, online sale of tribal art, primitive art and primitive art
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The site Art Tribal offers a wide selection of tribal art objects, masks, statues, bronzes and everyday objects. All these tribal works are rigorously selected from international private collections.

Ibibio Mask
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Tribal art > African mask > Ibibio Mask

Embodying a young person "Mfon", this figurative Ibibio crest mask took place during the entertainment festivals of the Ekpo society. The face, modeled with gentleness and mastery, is coated in two tones echoing the crest. The velvety patina is locally chipped. Height on base: 51 cm.
People of West Africa, the Ibibios are mainly present in the south-east of Nigeria (Akwa Ibom State) west of the Cross River, but also in Ghana, in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. The Anang are a neighboring related people. Without centralized government, their social organization is comparable to that of neighboring Igbo. The cult of ancestors, shared by the Oron and Eket established on the right bank of the Cross River, is under the authority of the highest ranking members of the Ekpo (ghost) male ...


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Mumuye Mask
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Tribal art > African mask > Mumuye Mask

The Mumuye in African tribal art.
Mask depicting a stylized "bust", it has a front surface bristling with a series of growths. Nail inlays form geometric patterns. Shiny patina encrusted with matt clear pigments. Erosions and cracks. Occurring occasionally in pairs, this mask could be accompanied by a horizontal mask during rituals preceding the wars. Its appearance is nowadays linked to apotropaic ceremonies and the call for rain.

South of the Benoué River, in a region of difficult access which isolated them until 1950, are the Mumuye, who are organized into family groups called dola. This type of mask is found in the northwestern region of the middle Benoué, from the Kona Jukun, to the Mumuye and up to the Wurkun populations. The 100,000 Adamawa language speakers ...


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Dogon Statuette
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Tribal art > African Statues > Dogon Statuette

Anthropomorphic figure whose vertically propelled arms are accompanied by a crenellation running up to the kidneys, accentuating the dynamism of the subject. The effort in pushing seems to be imprinted on the facial features, while the bending of the long legs suggests energetic participation. Deep and thick black patina, lustrous, minor flaking.
The south of the plateau dominating the Bandiagara cliff has been occupied since the 10th century by the Tellem and the Niongom. They were then displaced by the Dogon in the 15th century, who fled the Mandé. Dogon statuary is difficult to distinguish from that of the Tellem and Niongom. A recurrence: the characters with their arms raised above their heads, in an invocation position, an act of contrition following a drought which would have ...


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Yombe Maternity
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Tribal art > African Maternity > Yombe Maternity

Ex-French Le Bret African artcollection.
Remarkable for its quality of execution, this African sculpture named Phemba or Pfemba, embodies the female mediator figure, ancestor of the clan. It presents a child personifying the matrilineal transmission of power. The scarifications in relief dot the bust of the subject. The Yombe indeed decorated their textiles, mats and loincloths, with motifs related to proverbs glorifying work and social unity. The glazed gaze symbolizes clairvoyance. Refined figurative details, artfully hemmed lines from an artist whose anonymity we can deplore, form the specificity of this work. Smooth orange-brown patina. Desiccation cracks.

Clan of the Kongo group, the Yombe are established on the west African coast, in the southwest of the Republic ...


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2450.00  1960.00

Kwéré Calabash
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Tribal art > African Statues > Kwéré Calabash

Equipped with an anthropomorphic cap reproducing the shape of traditional dolls, the container is fitted with a carrying strap.

The Zaramo and the tribes that surround them, such as the Kwéré, designed dolls generally associated with fertility, but to which other virtues would be attributed. Its primary role is played during the period of confinement of the young initiate Zaramo. The novice will behave towards the object as with a child, and will dance with it during the closing ceremonies of the initiation. In case the young woman does not conceive, she will adopt the "child". Among the Zaramo and the Kwéré, this sculpted motif is taken up on the top of canes, decorates ritual objects and even appears on burial posts.


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Mende Mask
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Tribal art > African mask > Mende Mask

In African art among the Mende, sowei masks embody aquatic spirits. This ancient African mask called bundu offers a braided hairstyle forming a unique assembly. The face sinks into rings of flesh, a feminine ideal linked to prosperity.
Painted black or tinted with a leaf wash, the mask was then rubbed with palm oil. Soft, satiny patina, erosions and desication cracks.br> The Mende, Vai and Gola cultures of Sierra Leone, Liberia and the west coast of Guinea are known for the helmet masks of the female initiation society Sandé which prepares young girls for the marriage . The male society is the Poro society. Relatively rare in sub-Saharan Africa, these masks are made by men and worn by women.
To close the rituals, a "spirit" appears, wearing this mask lined with long fibers of ...


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Dogon Mask
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Tribal art > African mask > Dogon Mask

This African mask is surmounted by a female figure Ya Sigine who would embody the mythical ancestor who stole the masks from supernatural beings, taking captive an old Albarga man initiated into the secrets of masks. The woman initiated into Ya Sigine has since then been the only woman able to participate in Dogon rituals and benefiting from a masked funeral.
Grainy irregular patina. Abrasions and chips from use.
More than eighty types of African masks are listed among the Dogon, the best known of which are the Kanaga, Sirigé, Satimbé, Walu. Most of them are used by circumcised initiates of the Awa society, during funeral ceremonies. The Awa designates the masks, their costumes, and all the Dogons serving as masks. The "nyama", the vital force of the mask, is ...


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780.00  624.00

Tumbwe statue
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Tribal art > African Statues > Tumbwe statue

Tribes in the southeastern region of the DRC around Lake Tanganyika, such as the Tumbwe and the Tabwa, worshiped the mipasi ancestors through sculptures held by chiefs or witch doctors. A magical charge ( dawa )was inserted at the top of the statues' heads. Our female figure does indeed have a charge inserted at the top of the head. The diviners-healers ngango used this type of statuette-fetish to reveal witchcraft and protect against malevolent spirits.
Satin golden brown patina, cracks and abrasions.

Simple cultivators without centralized power, the Tabwa federated around tribal chiefs after coming under the influence of the Luba. It was mainly during this period that their artistic current was expressed mainly through statues but also masks. The ...


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340.00  272.00

Hopi Mask
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Tribal art > African mask > Hopi Mask

Witnesses to the traditions of the Hopi Indian peoples of Arizona, Katsinam sculpted objects (song. Kachina) are used during traditional dances organized for the annual rain festivals. This Hopi-type mask, flanked by movable ears and a bird "beak", is topped with statuettes representing masked dancers. The polychrome matte patina, abrasions and small chips.


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480.00  384.00

Kongo statue
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Tribal art > African Statues > Kongo statue

African magic-religious objects.
Consecrated by the priest nganga, this type of African clan sculpture has a magical charge lodged in the glass-sealed ventral cavity. The statue also carries, on the back, a kind of swaddled bundle.
The charge or bilongo consisted of various ingredients from the natural environment including red clay, red wood powder tukula , white clay pembe... , but possibly human fragments such as teeth, nails, hair. The arms are truncated. This fetish of conjuration was thus supposed to influence the health, prosperity, enemies of its holder. The headdress is characteristic of the statuary of Beembe and Yombe, other tribes of the Kongo group. Among the Kongo, the specialist named nganga ,was in charge of rituals by activating a ...


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Bamana mask
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Tribal art > African mask > Bamana mask

Very graphic mask, whose curved jaw would evoke the "sucking" of knowledge. The deep oiled patina is raised by geometrical patterns carefully incised on the surface. Erosions. Established in central and southern Mali, in a savannah area, the Bambara, "Bamana" or "unbelievers", as the Muslims have named them, belong to the large Mande group, along with the Soninke and Malinke. Mostly farmers, but also breeders, they make up the largest ethnic group in Mali. Groups of Bambara artisans nyamakala , more specifically the blacksmiths named numu , are in charge of sculpting ritual objects, endowed with nyama , occult energy. Using fire and magical objects, the role of healer and diviner is also attributed to them Six male associations, the Dyow , using Bambara masks, structure the Bambara ...


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Dogon Statuette
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Tribal art > African Statues > Dogon Statuette

African Statuette Dogon collected in the mid-20th century by Monsieur Arnaud, accompanying Alain Bilot, renowned collector of Dogon art during study trips to Mali.

This sculpture depicts a woman in a raised arms posture. A grainy patina is evidence of the libations administered. One hand is missing. Desiccation cracks.
Carved for the most part on commission by a family and in this case placed on the family altar Tire Kabou, the Dogon tribal statues can also be the object of worship by the entire community when they commemorate, for example, the founding of the village. These statues, sometimes embodying the ...


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Punu Mask
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Tribal art > African mask > Punu Mask

Ex-collection of French African art.
Named bitengi (sing.: itengi) this type of mask was used during funerals and initiations of young boys. Among the variety of African masks Punu, this version offers a face topped with two parallel shells framed by quilts. The traditional scarifications in relief "mabinda" adorn the face. Abraded matte patina. Erosions, gaps.
Height on base: 46 cm.
The masks of the Punus were associated with the various secret societies of Gabon, including the Bwiti, Bwete, and the Mwiri ("to lead"), the latter spanning several levels of initiation. These powerful societies, which also had a judicial function, included several dances, including the leopard dance, the Esomba, the Mukuyi, and the Okuyi dance, on stilts, remaining the most widespread. . ...


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490.00  392.00

Senoufo Statue
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Tribal art > African Statues > Senoufo Statue

Wearing a crest in the shape of a bird, this majestically arched female figure rests with thick forearms on a small pelvis. Slender arms release the tension of the bust on which a firm chest points. The base - pestle, "sedine" or "dol" depending on the dialect, extends the legs. Medium brown satin patina, minor abrasions and drying cracks.
The Senoufos, so named by the French settlers, are mainly made up of farmers who have dispersed between Mali, Ivory Coast, and Burkina Faso. Councils of elders, headed by an elected chief, administer the Senufo villages. Each of them has its own Poro association introducing young boys from the age of 7 in a succession of three cycles lasting seven years. The Debele Senoufo, or "child of the Poro", "spirit of the bush", intervened in pairs at the ...


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Dogon Statue
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Tribal art > African Rider > Dogon Statue

The clearly contrasting proportions of this Dogon sculpture are striking here, highlighting the supernatural nature of the subject.
Old restoration of an arm. Matte patina speckled golden brown. Minor desiccation cracks.
In Dogon mythology, one of the Nommos, ancestors of men resurrected by the creator god Amma, descended to earth carried by an ark transformed into a horse. In addition, the highest authority of the Dogon people, the religious leader named Hogon, paraded on his mount during his enthronement because according to custom he should not set foot on the ground. In the region of the Sangha cliffs, inaccessible on horseback, the priests wore it, while neighing in reference to the mythical ancestor Nommo. The rider and his horse are a theme frequently treated among ...


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490.00  392.00

Luba Jug
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Tribal art > African Jar > Luba Jug

Water vessel with cup carrier design. Three protrusions act as handles. Zoomorphic subjects adorn the walls. Sculpture from the Luba and related groups depicts the woman and her connection to royalty and the bavidye spirits. Minor chips, old restoration of an excrescence.
Formerly subject to the Luba, then to the Lundas, the Zela, Muzela, or Wazela, have adopted a large part of their customs and traditions. Established between the Luvua River and Lake Kisalé, they are today organized into four chiefdoms under the supervision of leaders of Luba origin. They venerate a primordial couple frequently represented in statuary, mythical ancestors, and dedicate offerings to the spirits of nature.


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Chokwe Mask
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Tribal art > African mask > Chokwe Mask

Emblem of feminine beauty, always worn by initiates of higher rank, this ancient African mask embodying an ancestor is embellished with a curly hairstyle representing that, modeled in clay, of Tschokwe women. The features offer great expressiveness, curls originally adorned the ears. Deep nuanced, satin patina. Abrasions, losses. Height on base: 46 cm.
The African Chokwe pwo masks, among the numerous akishi masks (sing: mukishi, indicating power) of African Chokwe art, embody an ideal of beauty, Mwana Pwo, or the Pwo woman and appear today during festive ceremonies. The pwo are believed to bring fertility and prosperity to the community. The characteristic patterns present on the forehead, and sometimes on the cheekbones, are part of the Chokwe aesthetic canons but also served ...


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480.00  384.00

Mahongwe reliquary
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Tribal art > African Statues > Mahongwe reliquary

Embodying the founder of a lineage, this wooden sculpture of the Mahongwe, from the extreme north-east of Gabon, on the Congo border, is lined with metal threads. The concave ogival face surmounted by an excrescence would symbolize for some the serpent naja. The pattern on the back recalls the hairstyle of certain dignitaries.
The baskets containing the relics of illustrious ancestors, generally surmounted by two reliquaries, were kept in temples in the village. One of them embodied the founder of the lineage, and the second his descendants. The worship of ancestors, the bwete (Northern Kota) was at the heart of the social and religious life of the Kota and presents many analogies with that of the Fang . In the exclusive presence of initiates, the major decisions of the clan ...


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Fang statue
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Tribal art > African Statues > Fang statue


The tribal art of the Byeri cult is illustrated by various anthropomorphic sculptures acting as "guardians" and embodying the ancestor. This sculpted figure, intended to be introduced into a reliquary basket by the peduncle, has a prognathic jawbone in which a pout emerges. The amplitude of the pelvis and thighs contrasts with the rest of the morphology. Fanned fingers are joined in front of the torso. Extended in the nape of a ponytail, voluminous shells complete the metallic ornaments. Black oiled patina, semi-matte.
The boxes containing the relics of illustrious ancestors were guarded by the oldest man in the village, the "esa". Surmounted by a statue or a head that acted as guardian of the "byeri" boxes, they were supposed to deflect evil influences. They were also used ...


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Dogon statue
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Tribal art > African Statues > Dogon statue

This Dogon statue, narrow, with stretched limbs, represents a kneeling woman. Repeated ritual libations have given the surface a grainy appearance. The desiccated, cracked wood bears the marks of time. Carved for the most part on commission by a family and in this case arranged on the family altar Tiré Kabou, the Dogon tribal statues can also be the object of worship by the entire community when they commemorate, for example, the founding of the village. These statues, sometimes embodying the nyama of the deceased, are placed on ancestor altars and participate in various rituals including those of the seed and harvest periods. Their functions, however, remain little known. In parallel with Islam, Dogon religious rites are organized around four main cults: the Lebe , relating to ...


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750.00  600.00

Lobi figure
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Tribal art > African Statues > Lobi figure

Lobi sculptures and African art.
Naturalist carved figurine with a protective purpose, polished by use.
These statuettes were placed on the altar after a ritual to be the receptacle of a bush spirit, the Thil, and thus become an active being, an intermediary fighting against wizards and all other harmful forces. When honored, these spirits would manifest their benevolence in the form of abundant rains, good health, and numerous births; ignored, they would withdraw it and bring devastating epidemics, drought, and suffering.
They are supposed to transmit to the diviners the laws that the followers must follow in order to enjoy their protection.
They are represented by wooden or copper sculptures called Bateba (large or small, figurative or abstract, they adopt ...


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240.00  192.00





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