OLD BAMANA DOORLOCK
In form of a stylized human figure, standing on zigzag legs,
the rectangular body surmounted by an abstract face, a pair of upturned horns at
top; black patina, White oxidation. It is sometimes told that the big ears also
represent the jaws of a crocodile to enhance the power of the ancestors.
Wood, 49 cm
It is in good condition, and has many traces of an extended
use. In the back you can see the gravity pins that made the doors shut. A human
animal representation on the doorlock give the house an ancestor
protection, the animal representation gives the ancestor the strengths of the
animal and offers so an additional protection.
Provenance: auction house Lempertz, Köln, 2006
Price: not
available
Books on doorlocks:
" 
Legends,
Sorcerers, and Enchanted Lizards... by Pascal James Imperato...
...well researched and lucidly written. ...a welcome addition to Bamana
studies and more broadly to African art studies..." -- Mary Jo Arnoldi,
National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.
Book Description
The Bamana people are known for their rich artistic traditions, including the
creation of masks, statues, door locks, head dresses, and ritual and
utilitarian objects: their door locks are among the most remarkable of all
African art. Sculpted of wood in a rich variety of forms, they depict
mythological and historical figures, social events, and representational
figures - crocodiles, lizards, tortoises, owls, bats, butterflies, humans.
Known as 'konbarabara', these exquisite locks were once presented to young
women at the time of their marriage and affixed to the doors of their new
homes. The beauty of the carvings and the ingenuity of the locking systems
present a fascinating study of this unusual art form. The volume is divided
into three parts. Part 1 provides an overview of the Bamana people and their
philosophical and spiritual beliefs. Part 2 presents a comprehensive discussion
of Bamana doors and locks. Part 3 contains sixty-nine photos each with detailed
captions explaining the symbolism of the various forms, interpretations of
graphic signs, and descriptions of the locking devices.
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