Balafon Djanou Bwa, Burkina Faso - Lot 68

Balafon Djanou Bwa, Burkina Faso The balafon, or xylophone, belongs to the family of idiophones native to West Africa. The sound is generated by the reverberation of percussion instruments on aligned wooden slats in the calabashes. Literally, the word balafon comes from the Malinke "bala" meaning "instrument" and "fon" meaning "sound". The special feature of the Djanou is that it is raised at the ends and fitted with carrying handles. 88 x 63x 48 cm Ex Emile Robyn private collection of African art (Brussels, Belgium) Emile's grandfather, Abel Robyn, started the collection in 1850. It was passed down through three generations. When Abel died in 1895, his son Jérôme Robyn inherited the collection, which he continued to expand until his death in 1968. Emile Robyn inherited his father's work and added to this magnificent collection by purchasing works only from renowned gallery owners, auction houses and collectors. Many of the pieces in this collection were presented at events such as "Parcours des Mondes" in Paris.