A small Mumuye wooden sculpture with brown patina. The subject, a stylized figure characterized by a round face and an accentuated nose, most likely represents a male protective spirit. In this case, in fact, the ears (characterizing element of gender) are small and conical in shape. Such sculptures, associated with various functions in Mumuye society, are used by healers and diviners.
Provenance: Parisian collection of the painter Arturo Carmassi (Lucca 1925 - Empoli 2015). This piece was purchased directly by Jacques Kerchache (1942 - 2001) around the mid-1980s.