Mambila Ceramic Figurative Vessel

A seated monkey, caught mid-shout, with its mouth as the spout.

Mambila potters of Cameroon, Central Africa, shaped this terra cotta vessel in the 20th century. Animal and human forms are commonly modeled into Mambila earthenware. Here a figure with bent arms holds its hands at the chest, its open mouth forming the opening of the vessel. A short crest tops the head, and the ears are painted a soft orange. White and ochre slip pick out the belly, and two oval panels with raised borders frame the lower body.

About 15 inches tall. It speaks first at every party.