Compact in scale yet rich in visual tension, this reliquary figure from a southern Kota tradition is defined by a striking interplay of rhythmic patterning, stylized figuration, and expressive abstraction. Central to the composition is a pronounced axial ridge that bisects the forehead, continuing from the crest into the tip of the small nose. The most defining feature of this “Kota” is the presence of an expressive mouth - a rare deviation from conventions that typically omit the mouth altogether. Here, the open mouth is clearly delineated and subtly upturned, creating the suggestion of a smile. This uncommon feature imparts the sculpture with a rare anthropomorphic intensity, suggestive of a being both watchful and sentient. The large eyes are executed as almond-shaped forms in high relief extending until the edge of the face. Like the mouth, they are covered with a reddish copper plating – a chromatic interplay also observed among Ndassa and Wumbu artists. The lateral flanges, gently scalloped into stylized lobes, extend outward from the oval facial plane. Each is decorated with a perimeter of repoussé dots, reinforcing the symmetry of the whole. The stylized ears at the bottom are pierced. The upper crest rises from the top of the head in a wide, shallow arc, nearly completing a half-moon form. Unlike more monumental Kota crests, this one is modest in scale, yet in perfect harmony with the rest of the sculpture. Its surface is left largely unadorned except for a border and central line of repoussé motifs. The neck is wrapped in brass, decorated with punched-dot ornamentation, arranged in a diamond-shaped register. The lozenge-shaped body exhibits a richly patinated surface due to its long presence in a reliquary basket. Altogether, this Obamba reliquary figure is remarkable for its expressive vitality. The presence of a mouth, the compact size, and the play between different bronze alloys reflect a localized stylistic innovation within the broader southern Kota tradition. Figures of this type likely originate from the Obamba or related communities, and they stand apart for their charismatic intensity.

A famous “Kota” in the Swiss Barbier-Mueller collection (#1019-4F) shares many stylistic features with the present work. The eyes are equally highlighted with red copper, as are the upper lip, open mouth and chin. Additionally, the lateral extensions and the crest at the summit all feature similar double rows of incised dots along their edges. In contrast, the shape of the eyes is different (circular versus slit-like) and the face features a play between recessed and projecting elements. Compact in size, with an identical contrasting chromatic palette, and a similar smile, the stylistic affinities between the two figures cannot be ignored. Another example (sold by Sotheby’s, New York, 4 May 1995, lot 82) shares the same small size, oval face with pointed chin, slit eyes, open smiling mouth, central ridge on the forehead, and interplay between different copper alloys. A third figure, in a private collection (sold at Sotheby’s, New York, 13 May 2019, lot 171), also has the unique feature of an upper lip decorated with punched dots, as does a fourth statue, collected in the 1920s by Albert Sarraut (sold at Ader Nordmann & Dominique, Paris, “Collection Jean Roudillon”, Paris, 6 June 2024, lot 97). The latter features a stylized sculpted necklace at the bottom of the neck, separating it from the body, as does an example in the Iowa Museum of Art (#1986.507) and another one in a private collection (Beaussant-Lefèvre, Paris, 3 March 2006, lot 216).