Bust of a member of the Fang people. Gabon, first half of the 20th century

Bust of a member of the Fang people. Gabon, first half of the 20th century.
Carved wood.
Measurements: 43 x 13 x 15 cm.

Human head carved in the round from wood. It depicts an idealized face with perfectly balanced, gently curved lines.

The Fang are primarily a hunting people, though they also practice agriculture and livestock raising. Their social structure is based on the clan and the family. For a long time, the Fang were a constantly migrating people, settling in a given place for only a few years at a time. Since they have always lived primarily in equatorial forests, they used mainly wood, bamboo, and plant fibers for their sculptures. Possessing a rich oral tradition—the foundation of their customs and beliefs—the Fang developed a highly sophisticated form of ritual sculpture.