Beautiful power figure "nkisi" ·  D. R. Congo, Bakongo/Yombe/Vili, Cabinda/Brazzaville · ID: 3041148

Description

wood, blackish brown patina, encrusted in some areas, metal necklace, eyes with painted pupils and glass inlay, deepenings in the head and in the chest originally provided with magical loading which is indicated by a lighter patina and remains of resinous blackish mass in these areas, inscribed at the bottom “1.6.21”, slightly dam., minor missing parts (left arm), cracks (back and base), various drilled holes, abrasion of paint (nose, mouth), base;
the “nkisi” object is basically a container for animal, vegetal, and mineral materials known as “medicines” (“bilongo”) that expressed by their names, forms or provenance the aims that the “nkisi” was expected to achieve and the powers that enabled it to do so. In many “minkisi” (pl.) we might find leaves of the “lusakasaka” plant, that it might “bless” the supplicant. A single seed of “luzibu”, that it might “open” matters that are hidden or closed. “Kalazima” (charcoal), that it might “smite” evildoers, and always, white kaolin clay (“mpemba) to represent the presence of powers from the land of the dead. Most of the ingredients were first reduced to unidentifiable fragments or a powder. Without its constituent elements, a “nkisi” is nothing.

Expertise

Joaquin Pecci, Certificat d' Authenticité, 17 mai 2016, Brussels; Didier Claes, Certificat d'Authenticité, 19 mai 2016, Brussels

Publications

AHDRC: 0124727

Exhibition

Brussels, Belgium, "Winter BRUNEAF", Brussels, 22-25 January 2015