lü me Wood, metal height 11in (28cm) Provenance Georges F. Keller Collection, New York/Davos/Paris (Inventory no. 1927 written in white ink on base) Paolo Morigi Collection, Lugano Native, Brussels, 11 June 2011, Lot 19 Lucas Ratton, Paris New York Private Collection Diminutive in scale but with much presence, the artist has finely sculpted the female standing on broad feet with delineated toes, columnar legs slightly bent at the knees and supporting her rounded torso with raised chevron design to the abdomen and raised umbilicus; the sloping shoulders lead to arms carved away from the body adding to the balance of positive and negative space, the arms are bent at the elbow, providing movement, and rest on the hips; the powerful, cylindrical neck decorated with incised band of triangles supports her spherical head with incised coiffure in bands running front to back, framing the face with a raised ridge dividing the forehead vertically, coffee-bean eyes, diminutive nose and full lips; two metal charges inserted into back of head; rich, varied dark and brown reflective patina with wear indicative of traditional use.