Spirit of the Ancestors

Hand-painted earthenware sculpture, titled Spirit of the Ancestors by South African ceramicist, Henriette Ngako (1943-2022). An earthenware clay figure of a bird with human figures on its back, the bird is the afterlife carrying the forefather spirits to look down on the mortals and to ensure they live a good life. The figure was created by Henriette Ngako in Hammanskraal, on the outskirts of Pretoria. The University of Pretoria acquired this work in 1996. Ngako was a well-recognised South African post-war contemporary artist born in 1943 and her work is known to captivate with unusual forms and combination of animal figures and totems. In 1985, Ngako worked as an assistant to the South African ceramic maker Tineke Meijer who involved her in her pottery studio, giving her the opportunity to create her own work), she has elevated the level of collectable art. Ngako has gained widespread recognition. Original in form and decoration, her work has sold at galleries throughout the world and enhances modern interiors. She often paints with oxides and colour slips on low fired earthenware drawing from her own traditions in combination with modern forms, colour and patterns. Ngako passed away in 2022 from Covid related complications.