The Chamba figure described here, from present-day Taraba State in eastern Nigeria, belongs to the cultural milieu of the Chamba-Leko groups, whose sculptural traditions are characterized by pronounced formal abstraction and symbolic density. Sculptures of this type are often associated with ancestor worship, initiatory practices, or the representation of social and cosmological orders. The sculpture shows signs of age and ritual use.

The frontally oriented figure achieves its effect through a complex, additive body structure: Three superimposed torsos merge into a single unit that merges into a single pair of legs with four knee joints. This deliberate disruption of anatomical logic points to a conceptual, non-naturalistic understanding of the body. The upward-turned head reinforces the impression of transcendent movement.

The face is simplified yet strikingly sculpted: lofty eyes, a continuous nose line extending to the forehead, and a linear mouth with a pronounced upper lip create a concentrated expressiveness, while the prominent ears form a striking frame. The three torsos vary subtly - with triangular protrusions, breasts with feminine connotations, and an emphasized navel—and are each framed by stylized, inward-pointing arms. In the overall composition, this creates a diamond-shaped structural principle that visually orders the figure.

This formal rhythm can be interpreted as an expression of multiple identities or a condensation of various social and gender principles that merge into a symbolic unity within the object.

Literature (Selection)
Fagg, William: Nigerian Images. London, 1963.
Rubin, Arnold (ed.): African Art. New York, 1995.
Cole, Herbert M.: Icons: Ideals and Power in the Art of Africa. Washington, 1989.
Gebauer, Paul: Art of Cameroon. New York, 1979.

CAB 46600

sold

Height: 77 cm
Weight: 2,3 kg (incl. stand)