The Chamba people live in eastern Nigeria, to the south of the Benue river, on either side of the Cameroon border. The present female sculpture out of hard wood shows the typical stylistic features of the Chamba: a high, narrow crested coiffure, implied, small eyes with traces of white accentuation, as in both of the ears at the sides. She has a small nose and a protruding, rectangular, open mouth. Very characteristic for the Chamba figures, who always stand with legs apart, are their shoulders which are hunched forward, and their freely carved, slightly bent arms with accentuated, large hands. Not much is known regarding the meaning of these relatively large figures of the Chamba. They probably represent important ancestors, who could be consulted in a variety of ceremonies and provided with offerings. The Chamba figure presented here is covered with a substantially thick, encrusted and in part shiny, reddish-brown offering patina. This sculpture expresses a considerable age. Overall a typical, old object with minor age damage: some small pieces broken off on the right side of the figure (earlier insect damage?) and a minor crack on the right upper arm on the inside. Chamba figures of this scale are very rare. H: 64 cm. First half of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance: Austrian Private Collection.

Lit.: 'Encyclopedia of African Art and Culture' by K.-F. Schädler, fig. p. 142; 'The Tribal Arts of Africa' by Jean-Baptiste Bacquart, p. 99, fig. E; 'Die Kunst des schwarzen Afrika' by Kerchache, Paudrat, Stephan, fig. 518; 'African Art in American Collections' by Robbins & Nooter, fig. 762.