Anthropomorphic Figure ‘Enok Ateng’
Keaka, Cameroon
19th - 20th century
Wood, Encrusted Patina
51cm Tall
Provenance:
August Flick, Germany
Adrian Schlag, Cologne
Pace Primitive, New York
The Keaka are a cluster of ethnic groups from Cameroon, including Mbaw, Mbem, Mfumte, and Yamba. Their anthropomorphic figures are created to venerate deceased family members, with little known aside from their function in ancestral veneration. The present example is notable for the long beard, tilted head, and asymmetric arms which give the figure a distinct sense of movement not present in many African sculptures.