Bamun Bronze Fetish Figure Cameroon MATTER COLLECTION

Bamun Lost-Wax Cast Bronze Fetish Figure from Cameroon

This finely cast bronze figure originates from the Bamun people of Cameroon and was created using the traditional lost-wax casting (cire perdue) method. This ancient technique allows for intricate, one-of-a-kind details, as each casting requires the original wax model to be destroyed in the process.

Figures of this type are often associated with protective or ritual functions, sometimes referred to as “fetish” figures—objects believed to embody spiritual power or serve as intermediaries between the physical and spiritual worlds.

The form typically emphasizes stylized human features, with attention to posture, adornment, and symbolic elements that reflect status, identity, or spiritual purpose. The surface shows a rich patina consistent with age and handling.

The Bamum are noted craftsmen. The men do embroidery, weaving, leatherwork, wood carving, metalwork, and blacksmithing, and the women make pottery. Both men and women cultivate the land. The Bamum are sedentary farmers who do some fishing but little hunting. Their principal crops are corn (maize), millet, cassava, and sweet potatoes. They believe in a supreme god who creates children, and they practice ancestor worship.

Provenance: Matter Collection

From the collection of Margie and Phil Matter. Margie lived in South Africa, and later she and her husband Phil opened a gallery in Tucson. Everything in this collection was in their home for more than thirty years. Africa Direct recently bought the collection; at 95, Margie wants to share the things she has loved so much. 

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