Mambila Ceramic Figurative Vessel

Red-and-white face paint, a spiky belly, and a wide, round mouth.

This figurative terra cotta vessel was made by Mambila potters in Cameroon, Central Africa, in the 20th century. Such vessels are commonly associated with ceremony. The small head, painted in white and ochre, leans back with an open mouth. Wide shoulder panels with a pale cross-and-circle motif sit above a lower body covered in conical spikes. The surface is dark brown with fading orange paint.

About 14 inches tall. A hedgehog of good family. Surfaces like this reward a slow look.