An Ibibio painted female figure
Standing on short, heavy legs, the elongated torso, rising to sloping shoulders and abbreviated arms with groove-cut hands, the long, round neck beneath an oval head with protruding lips, wide nose and sunken eyes beneath a high bow and pointed coiffure, with a casket balanced atop the kaolin painted head, decorated allover with painted geometric patterns.
ht. 20 1/2 in.
Footnotes:
Provenance: The Laure-Marie and Daniel P. Biebuyck collection, Newton, Massachusetts; Sotheby's, Paris, December 5, 2003, lot 183; Peter Schnell collection; Sotheby's, London, November 20, 1961, lot 114.