Kota-Obamba Reliquary Guardian Figure, Gabon

The Kota-Obamba Reliquary Guardian Figure originates from the Kota (Bakota) people of Gabon and the Republic of Congo, crafted to protect ancestral relics housed in bark containers or baskets. These iconic figures are characterized by their abstract, flattened faces covered in brass or copper sheeting over a wooden core, serving as spiritual intermediaries between the living and the dead. They have been highly sought after in the African art market since the early 20th century, influencing European modernist artists such as Picasso and Braque.