Figurine

In Bateke style; a Basundi style of figure-carving has not yet been established for this smaller group. This piece was made for use as a fetish.

Standing anthropomorphic wooden figure; round face; prominent brow; protruding beared chin; triangular shaped eyes and nose; defined nostrils; open oblong mouth; tiny vertical rows of raised boxes representing hair, carved on top of head; knob protrudes from the back of the head; crescent shaped ears; long cylindrical neck; arms carved out from side of figure, bent at elbow; hands facing belly; lower part of body has the genitalia of a female (though figure is bearded); knees are slightly bent; feet are flat and nailed to a rounded base; figure is brown in color with a black base. See Af5195, AF4706 (cards). CF. (for this particular specimen) fig. 495A ( head and upper part of torso) AF653, however, has the chignon of most of the figures illustrated iin the "Annales", and, though beared, has the genitalia of a women. The attribution to the Basudi ( Basundi) was made by Torday: see AF4706 (card). Cf. also AF3679.