Male ancestor figure "singiti" · D. R. Congo, Hemba, Niembo style · ID: 3046030
not available anymore
Provenance
Ludwig Bretschneider, Munich, Germany (1972)Size
H: 56 cm
H: 22.0 inch
Description
wood, rep. (base), on pedestal
This idealized portrait commemorated and honored the lifetime accomplishments of a deceased male ancestor. With its serene expression the figure embodies the dignity and wisdom of a respected elder.
As spiritual mediators between the living and the dead, these figures were preserved in a shrine, where they were paid homage with prayers and blood sacrifices.
The figures also provided a powerful ideological message about family continuity and legitimized the political authority inherited by the ancestor’s living kin.
Comparing literature
Neyt, Francois, La Grande Statuaire Hemba du Zaire, Louvain-la-Neuve 1977