Byeri Guardian Figure

Byeri Guardian Figure

late 19th - early 20th century

Gabon

Wood, palm oil, pigment

L2010.4.1

Byeri reliquary figures are guardian figures that stand atop cylindrical bark boxes (nsuk byeri) filled with powerful medicine and the skulls of ancestors. Thus, they are not powerful in and of themselves, but indicate that something powerful lay beneath. The figures, however, were of great interest to western collectors and readily sold by the Fang, who considered the relics to be the most important part. This, in addition to colonial laws imposed during the twentieth century that outlawed byeri practices, meant that byeri tradition was virtually extinct by the middle of the century.

Byeri figures are known for their animated quality. They are not naturalistic, but they are dynamic; the face is often carved with a relaxed expression, while the arms and legs are active and engaged, bent as though the figure is about to leap into action. The figure is further animated by the reflective surface that vibrantly responds to light. The goal of the Byeri cult was to connect living and deceased so the Fang kept the guardian figures and relics happy and nourished with the application of camwood oil, giving the figure a reddish sheen.

Wood, palm oil, pigment