Héritage Galerie - Art Africain Traditionnel

Bronze equestrian figure - €2,750.00

Remarkable copper-alloy equestrian figure attributable to the artistic traditions of Djenné and the Inland Niger Delta in Mali. At an unusually substantial 23 cm high, the work depicts an elongated rider seated upon a powerfully stylised horse. Its surface is enveloped in a dense green oxidation patina interspersed with brown and reddish tones, giving particular depth to the modelling.

The mounted rider occupies a privileged position within the ancient artistic traditions of the Middle Niger. Djenné and Djenné-Djeno stood at the heart of extensive commercial networks linking the Niger Valley with the trans-Saharan trade routes. Within this environment, horses were valuable possessions associated with wealth, political authority, military command and elite status. The equestrian image therefore conveyed considerably more than a simple riding scene: it embodied ideas of prestige and power.

Archaeological discoveries and museum collections document a corpus of small copper-alloy sculptures and ornaments from the Djenné region, including representations of mounted figures. Although the precise function of many such objects remains uncertain, their iconography reflects the considerable symbolic importance accorded to the horse within medieval and later Sahelian societies.

The present figure is especially notable for its ambitious scale. The rider is conceived as a tall, hieratic presence, with elongated limbs, an elevated coiffure and a strongly projected facial profile. Arm and body ornaments further suggest a figure of status. The horse is rendered with striking economy: its projecting muzzle, prominent eyes, upright mane and articulated collar create an exceptionally expressive profile.

The composition achieves a compelling balance between verticality and movement. The rider's arms descend toward the horse's neck while his long legs visually echo those of the animal, producing an unusually unified sculptural silhouette. This geometric fusion between rider and mount is among the most compelling features of equestrian imagery associated with the Middle Niger region.

Extensive green surface oxidation, together with reddish deposits and irregular encrustations, gives the figure a particularly evocative archaeological appearance. In the absence of a documented excavation history or metallurgical analysis, however, no precise early dating should be asserted; the present attribution is based upon the object's stylistic and iconographic characteristics.

With its scale, commanding silhouette and refined balance of human and animal forms, this is an especially striking example of equestrian sculpture inspired by the Djenné tradition.

Dogon Tellem figure - Vendu - €1,940.00

A magnificent example of one of the finest pieces of African art: Tellem statuary (proto-Dogon).

The traditional Tellem statues, produced by the first inhabitants of the Bandiagara Escarpment in Mali, constitute one of the oldest surviving examples of African tribal art in wood, dating primarily from the 11th to the 15th centuries.
The term "Tellem," meaning "those who were here before us" in the Dogon language, refers to this mysterious people who preceded the Dogon settlement in this rugged region.
Their art, discovered in caves and rock shelters, is characterized by stylized forms, elongated volumes, and a thick, dark, crusty patina, the result of centuries spent in extreme climatic conditions and repeated rituals.

One of the most striking features of Tellem statuary is the posture of the arms outstretched towards the sky, as seen on this example.

This gesture, later adopted by the Dogon, is interpreted as a supplication: it can symbolize a call for rain, essential for agriculture in this semi-arid region, or a prayer addressed to ancestors and deities for protection and fertility. According to some sources, this posture also evokes communication with the world of spirits and the deceased, the raised arms forming a kind of bridge between earth and sky, between the living and the invisible forces. It also recalls the Dogon myth of the Nommo, ancestral spirits linked to the creation of the world and the cosmic order.

The thick, crusty patina covering these statues is the result of several phenomena: prolonged exposure to the smoke of ritual fires, libations (liquid offerings), anointing with oils and sacrificial blood, as well as natural erosion due to the humidity of the caves.

This patina is not only a sign of age, but also the tangible trace of religious practices and sacrifices that activated the object's spiritual power.
Scientific analyses of these patinas have revealed the presence of organic and mineral residues, confirming their intensive ritual use and their central role in the social and religious life of the Tellem people.

The artistic heritage of the Tellem profoundly influenced Dogon statuary, notably through the adoption of motifs and postures, but also through the sacred and initiatory dimension associated with these objects. Today, Tellem statues are considered treasures of ancient African art, sought after for their rarity, their understated beauty, and their historical significance.

This remarkable statue comes from the collection of B. Berete, a highly experienced dealer and collector who worked in Switzerland, Belgium, and the United States, notably with Pierre Dartevelle.