Offered in this lot is a Makonde Shetani African Blackwood (known locally as mpingo) Abstract Sculpture, circa 1960s. Provenance: the Owen D. Mort, Jr. Collection. Owen David Mort was an American engineer who amassed an impressive collection throughout his worldwide travels. His collection has included art, artifacts and other historical items from which he has donated to museums at the University of Utah and the Snite Museum of Art at the University of Notre Dame. Donations also included African, Afghan, Indian, Mughal, Persian and Far East Asian art and artifacts. The Makonde inhabit the southeast of Tanzania and the northeast of Mozambique. According to the Makonde, shetani are creatures that are neither human nor animal. Visually they presented themselves in combination with the human form as: mammal, fish, bird or reptile. Shetani carvers relied heavily on their imagination and word of mouth descriptions of the Shetani from older carvers, teachers and elders. They also utilized their tribal myths and stories as inspiration for the masterful work. True master carvers excel in creating surprisingly challenging pieces. Sculpturally the pieces were perceived as grotesque figurines that took blackened, dramatic, twists and turns that prayed upon and deformed their human host. The Makonde believed though that the Shetani could take on the role of malevolent imp or as a positive spiritual force in the life of a villager. Shetani sculptures are said to have been introduced to the art world out of the influence of European and Western culture beginning in the 1930s. The works became free flowing in the 1960s and 70s but became scarce in the 80s. Shetani artwork though varied will contain certain common elements such as a long horn or ear that protrudes from the head, large bulging eyes, a mouth forming a wide sinister grin with a full set of teeth showing; all set within a non human form with a highly caricaturized bodily position. This Makonde Shetani is as striking as it is beautiful. The lustrous, black hardwood features intricate details of the Shetani common elements. The sculpture measures 23"H x 5.5"L x 3.5"W. The weight is 2lb 10oz.*