Janus power figure "mpwau" · D. R. Congo, Teke · ID: 3048893
Zemanek-Münster, Würzburg, 3 March 2012, Lot 143
Description
wood, base
This beautiful Janus figure with a crescent-shaped crested hairstyle shows a male and a female side. The large depressions in the torsos were used by the magician “nganga” to insert magical ingredients “bilongo” (cf. AHDRC 0172752).
Lehuard, who discovered some of these rare Janus-shaped power figures, found them each time on influential people and religious leaders. His research in the field confirmed that the possession of these figures was the sole prerogative of great leaders (Lehuard,1974, p. 83).
The object Janus power figure “mpwau” with the object ID 3048893 was last part of the auction 98th Auction at March 26, 2022 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 317 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,000.
You can find more Figures and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on African art.
Comparing literature
Lehuard, Raoul, Statuaire du Stanley-Pool, Villier-le-Bel 1974, p. 83, ill. 37
Publications
AHDRC: 0146218