75. KOTA RELIQUARY FIGURE, OBAMBA REGION, GABON wood, brass Height 22.5 cm Cf. Perrois, L. et al., Les forêts natales: Art d'Afrique équatoriale atlantique, Paris, 2017, pp.92-93, figs.163-176 The author writes (p.111): "The mbulu-ngulu of the Obamba of the region north of the Ogoué can be grouped into a clearly identifiable variant. This is characterized, in short, by two-dimensional sculptures with a stylized concave face of oval shape, with added cabochon eyes, decorated with thin strips (arranged horizontally ... or obliquely in a star pattern...), with a more or less wide and arched crest headdress. The face is flanked by rounded side shells and matching oblique tubular pendants. These objects, today very numerous in both public and private collections, were very quickly noticed by colonial agents, because of their very decorative appearance with their additions of shiny copper. They come mainly from the Obamba groups, but also from the Ndumu and the Wumbu". A number of the illustrated examples, like the present lot, retain only fragments of the lozenge-shaped body or none at all.