“Tête de Femme Mangbetu” (“Bust of Mangbetu Woman”), sometimes called “Nobosodrou” 

La Croisière Noire (“The Black Cruise” or “The Black Journey”), also known as l’Expédition Citroën Centre Afrique, was a 1920s French expedition across colonized Africa. Automobile manufacturer André Citroën sponsored the endeavor to demonstrate the utility of his Citroën-Kégresse PT4 for the French colonial project. Images, films, and sketches captured by the expedition caused a frenzy in French art and design circles, culminating in a popular exhibition at the Louvre. One of the most famous photographs, a portrait of a woman named Nobosodrou, was the likely basis for this mascot by François Bazin. Bazin’s piece reflects both Art Deco and Primitivism. The portrait is still part of the conversation about race and colonization: Carrie Mae Weems featured the image in her 1995-6 installation From Here I Saw What Happened and I Cried.