This rare and ancient African figure originates from the northern Benue region, a major cultural area located in northern Cameroon and extending into neighboring Nigeria. It belongs to the sculptural tradition of the Mama (Kantana) people, while also showing clear stylistic affinities with the Kaka ethnic group, who share the same geographical area and closely related ritual practices.

The sculpture is characterized by a deliberately massive, compact, and frontal body, a hallmark of figures from this region. The face, highly expressive, displays a subtly heart-shaped form, carefully balanced and finely carved, giving the figure a presence that is both gentle and powerful. The features are restrained and confident, reflecting the sculptor’s masterful understanding of volume and proportion.

The thick, crusty patina, deeply embedded in the surface of the wood, bears witness to long ritual use and significant age. Covering the entire figure, it enhances both the authenticity and visual strength of the sculpture, offering a vibrant, living surface highly sought after by experienced collectors. The female figure openly displays her sexual attributes, emphasizing themes of fertility, fecundity, and transmission, which are central to the belief systems of the region.

Rare, ancient, and unquestionably authentic, this Mama Kantana statue stands out for the quality of its carving, the intensity of its presence, and the harmony of its proportions. It fully embodies the symbolic and aesthetic power of early African art, where every form carries meaning.

A true masterpiece of restraint and strength, this sculpture is an exceptional addition to any serious collection, appealing equally to seasoned collectors and to newcomers drawn to the emotional force of traditional African art.

This traditional Ekiti mask was part of the private collection of Bruno Claessens, a renowned dealer present at fairs such as Brafa, Tefaf, and Parcours des Mondes, to name just a few. It then passed through the hands of Ann de Pauw, Gallery Amma (Antwerp), and through various private collections in Belgium, the United States, and France. Its traceability in terms of provenance is quite remarkable. This mask is also listed in the HDRC database under the number ao-0111082-001.

The state is very rich in culture. They have their own unique traditional way of : Clothing, dances, festivals, religion and other ways of life. As listed below : The rulers of the towns are Obas like in other Yoruba towns.

Traditionally, the natural rulers of Ekiti State, whose people are Yoruba, are generally described as sacred or divine kings. Their installation and coronation are accompanied by solemn and lengthy rites that set them apart.

They then lead an orderly ceremonial existence, secluded in their palaces, subject to the many court rituals and approached by the authorities. the many court rituals are approached only with infinite respect. They rarely appeared in public, except on ceremonial occasions.

According to ancient customs, the Obas were not only the rulers of their cities and kingdoms, but through their personifications, they also reincarnated all their ancestors from the origin of the dynasties.

They are also the titular heads of all the religious ensembles in their kingdoms. Their appointments are made in part by divination.

The sacredness of their mode means that they are regarded by their people as a deity, and they are the sources of honour, capable of conferring titles and chieftaincies. 

The Obas are also the source of justice.

Within the framework of the state, the Obas are not supposed to take part in partisan politics. The palaces of traditional leaders are symbolic relics of the culture and tradition of the people.

Some of the palaces in Ekiti State are Ado's Ewi Palace, Ikole's Elekole Palace, Oore's Palace, Otun's Palace, Awo Ekiti's Alawo Palace and a host of others...

The Yoruba people are an ethnic group from southwestern and north-central Nigeria and southern and central Benin.
The Yoruba religion comprises the traditional religious and spiritual concepts and practices of the Yoruba people. Its homeland is in southwestern Nigeria and adjacent areas of Benin and Togo, an area known as Yorubaland. The Yoruba religion is made up of various traditions and has no single founder. The religious beliefs of the Yoruba are part of the itan - the set of songs, stories, narratives and other cultural concepts that constitute Yoruba religion and society.

It is one of the rare Yoruba masks where one usually finds traces of sacrificial uses, which is the case for this one. 

Artefactual ethnicity in ceremonies and rituals. 

Chamba religion was almost exclusively initiatory, with knowledge acquired through successive initiations, through observation as well as instruction. Thus, Chamba religious thought and action cannot be understood through the ordinary question-and-answer process that may illuminate some aspects of the canonical catechisms and beliefs of some world religions. 

The Chamba were not atypical in this respect, as the peoples of the Benue middle range shared many of their religious ideas and practices. Religious rites, for example, were always transmitted through an initiatory process. 

Our analysis suggests that in order to understand Middle Benue objects dynamically and historically, it is important to discern the artefactual ethnicity with which they have been imbued since their original creation. The wooden sculptures of the Middle Benue have acquired attributes additional to their ethnic values, stemming from the appreciation of their aesthetic forms as African art, and contributing to more generalized art narratives, such as those of modernism. It should be noted, however, that this increase in aesthetic value can only occur if the object has already acquired the artefactual ethnicity that gives it its authenticity. The other values are competent but do not supplant the ethnicity of the work.  

This statue was purchased by François-Charles Bazelaire.