Mambila Ceramic Figurative Vessel

Orange hands raised high, as though flagging down a taxi.

Mambila potters of Cameroon, Central Africa, made this terra cotta vessel in the 20th century. Figural vessels of this kind are often associated with ritual use. The head has an open round mouth, tilted slightly back, with arms thrust up from the shoulders, hands painted in orange. A band of raised dots runs down each side of the body, and a single pale line marks the front.

About 12 inches tall. Enthusiastic, and not shy about it. The pale chalky body makes a tidy foil.