Ancestor

Curious piece representing an ancestor. The statue has no arms but robust legs. A single triangular breast that occupies the entire torso. The head rests on a strong and long neck and is ttotally bent toward the sky with its mouth open in an imploring attitude. The ancestors are spirits, immaterial beings and the African artist materializes them in different ways, person, animals or absolutely particular characters such as this representation of an ancestor. These statues are used in the domestic cuculto of ancestors. Very dark patina. These figures of characters with open mouth and looking up at the sky are frequent in the statuary bidjogo, as can also be seen in the attached image taken on the island of Bubaque.