statuary combining a face framed by lateral panels and surmounted by a crescent

some workshops chose to depart from this convention by eliminating this upper

element. The figure presented here fully belongs to this rare corpus of Ndassa works without a crescent, an audacious formal choice that stands as one of the archetypal expressions of this stylistic variant. Intended to surmount a reliquary basket containing the remains of the lineage’s illustrious ancestors, this mbulu ngulu effigy embodied both a protective function and a symbolic representation of the honored ancestor. The sculptor retained the fundamental principles of Ndassa composition while asserting considerable formal freedom. The stylized openwork lozenge-shaped body, designed to be inserted into the reliquary basket, supports a monumental head framed by broad lateral panels, whose architectural strength is further enhanced by the absence of a crescent.

The treatment of the face is particularly striking. The convex face, with its full and

balanced volumes, features a broad forehead and pronounced brow ridges, beneath which half-closed almond-shaped eyes create an expression of calm introspection and quiet authority. The straight, prominent nose structures the composition, while the cheeks are accentuated by finely worked decorative metal bands. This formal vocabulary is characteristic of Ndassa workshops established in southern Gabon, near the border with the Republic of the Congo.

The sculpture is entirely enriched with carefully hammered and nailed metal

sheathing, now covered with a deep and nuanced patina. A precise geometric

decoration, composed of chevrons, hatching, and parallel lines, animates the lateral panels, the face, and the long ringed neck. This subtle interplay of lines and counter-lines closely engages with the structure of the work and reinforces its visual intensity. Through the balance of its proportions, the quality of its carving, and the rarity of its formal approach, this Ndassa mbulu ngulu reliquary figure without a crescent stands as a particularly eloquent testament to the creativity and sculptural sophistication of Kota workshops. Examples of this stylistic variant are few, and even rarer are those that display such a high level of mastery, both in the accuracy of the volumes and in the richness and coherence of the metal covering. The expressive power of this work, combined with its excellent state of preservation and the depth of its patina, makes it a work of the highest importance within the known Ndassa corpus.