Fon Legba Phallus

c. 1850
$680 USD SOLD
Dimensions
W: 4.25" D: 4.0" H: 19.0"
Materials
Wood
Steel
Collection #
CAA0914C
Estimated Shipping
$25

This carved-wood phallus, called a legba, was intended to ensure fertility and bountiful harvests and was among many placed outside dwellings and in the fields of the Fon people of West Africa. These phallic carvings were named after Legba, the trickster son of God, who serves as an interlocutor between the human and the divine. Stories abound about Legba’s devious shenanigans. In one tale, Legba, frustrated at being blamed for adversity while God is praised for good fortune, imprinted God’s footprints on a wet field so that he would be blamed for the theft of the Fon people's yam harvest. Angry for falling victim to Legba’s ruse, God departed to the heavens, leaving his son to facilitate communication between the earthly realm and the spiritual world. We’ve mounted this legba on simple base to accentuate its sculptural qualities and conversation-sparking form.

Questions? Ask us

What They're Saying

Mick de Giulio | de Giulio kitchen design

“I love working with PAGODA RED. When I’m looking for something distinctive for one of my clients, I can be sure I’ll find it there. Betsy has an incredible eye for the beautiful and unique and she continues to offer one of the best collections of Chinese furniture and decorative art.”

Receive our weekly email on design &
creating memorable spaces