Fon Phallus

Unidentified hardwood

Bennin

19th or 20th century

A hardwood Legba phallus, carved by the the Fon people. The smooth surface polished to a dull shine. Named Legba after the trickster son of Mawu who serves as an intermediary between the divine. They were placed upright in the ground outside houses to ensure abundant harvests. 27cm.

I first saw this object in 2015, during the much heralded exhibition of the dealer Oliver Hoare, item no 69 in the catalogue. His description goes as follows.

“Few short stories can match this one. In 1977 Bruce Chatwin went to Dahomey (now Benin) accompanied by John Kasmin, to do research for his book, The Viceroy of Ouidah. While there, the acting king received them in an official ceremony in his compound at Abomey, in the course of which the great grand daughter of King Sagbadjou (aged 103) presented them with this wood phallus. It may be difficult for us to decipher the significance of such a gift, but it was gratefully received, of course.”