Reliquary Figure
| Culture | Fang |
|---|---|
| Title | Reliquary Figure (Eyema Bieri) |
| Date | Late 19th–early 20th century |
| Medium | Wood, wicker, and and likely palm oil |
| Dimensions | Object: 25 × 5 × 6 in. (63.5 × 12.7 × 15.2 cm) Overall (includes mount): 26 1/4 × 5 1/4 × 6 1/2 in. (66.7 × 13.3 × 16.5 cm) |
| Credit Line | Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 72.141 |
| This artwork is currently on view. | |
The figure is in a position as if seated on a chair and is held up by a pole coming out of its backside. The figure's arms are at its sides and bent at a 90-degree angle with the hands together in front of the chest.
Fang reliquary figures are part of a wide tradition in Gabon related to a cult of the dead. Though practices varied, relics, especially skulls, of important deceased individuals were used in ceremonies connected with appeals to the spirits of the ancestors for guidance and assistance in leading successful lives and in rituals associated with the prevention of malevolent sorcery. Though considered neither a portrait of an individual nor even a generic representation of an ancestor, the figure was placed on the relic container, usually kept in a family shrine, as a visual reminder of the founder of the lineage, and its presence was also believed to protect the relic from harm.
Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.
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Cite this page
"Reliquary Figure | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=72.141