A rare, archaic figure of a rider proudly encamped on his mount, emblematic of the Bankoni culture, which flourished in the Bougouni region and embodies an art of statuary that is both refined and symbolically charged. The rider, depicted with attributes of power, is expressively stylized. According to Malian anthropologist Youssouf Tata Cissé, these figures could embody masa, priest-kings of the Traoré clans of the Bana region, or mythical characters associated with hunting, royalty or the world of the ancestors. Bankoni, Mali Dated: 1224 - 1474 A.D. (QED1123/BA-0301) Terracotta, visible old chips, broken/glued in several places (original pieces), surface erosion, beautiful orange-ochre slip. H. 87.5 cm Provenance : - Roger Lefèvre, Brussels - Marc Blanpain Collection, Brussels
Live Wednesday 25 June 2025・14:00 (Europe/Paris)
Lot no. 45

A rare, archaic figure of a rider proudly encamped on his mount, emblematic of the Bankoni culture, which flourished in the Bougouni region and embodies an art of statuary that is both refined and symbolically charged. The rider, depicted with attributes of power, is expressively stylized. According to Malian anthropologist Youssouf Tata Cissé, these figures could embody masa, priest-kings of the Traoré clans of the Bana region, or mythical characters associated with hunting, royalty or the world of the ancestors. Bankoni, Mali Dated: 1224 - 1474 A.D. (QED1123/BA-0301) Terracotta, visible old chips, broken/glued in several places (original pieces), surface erosion, beautiful orange-ochre slip. H. 87.5 cm Provenance : - Roger Lefèvre, Brussels - Marc Blanpain Collection, Brussels

Estimate
€30,000 - €50,000
Result
Not sold
Buyer's premium
30%
A rare, archaic figure of a rider proudly encamped on his mount, emblematic of the Bankoni culture, which flourished in the Bougouni region and embodies an art of statuary that is both refined and symbolically charged. The rider, depicted with attributes of power, is expressively stylized. According to Malian anthropologist Youssouf Tata Cissé, these figures could embody masa, priest-kings of the Traoré clans of the Bana region, or mythical characters associated with hunting, royalty or the world of the ancestors. Bankoni, Mali Dated: 1224 - 1474 A.D. (QED1123/BA-0301) Terracotta, visible old chips, broken/glued in several places (original pieces), surface erosion, beautiful orange-ochre slip. H. 87.5 cm Provenance : - Roger Lefèvre, Brussels - Marc Blanpain Collection, Brussels
Sale
Arts of Africa
Wednesday 25 June 2025・14:00 (Europe/Paris)
Salle 9 - Hôtel Drouot 9, rue Drouot 75009 Paris