Memorial figure of a female dignitary "ngudi" · D. R. Congo, Yombe · ID: 3036575
Elisabeth Verhey, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Description
wood, honey brown patina, mirror glass, kneeling, short stump-like arms, raised scarification marks on the belly and on the back, fez-like headdress, filed incisors, fine crack, base;
present figure was not created as a magical figure (“nkisi”) but rather as a commemorative figure for a highly esteemed female ancestor venerated for being the female founder of a lineage. Such sculptures, called “ngudi” (mother of the lineage) used to be kept in baskets together with further relics belonging to the community. The sculpture was probably presented on important occasions like the first appearance of marriageable women after their time of seclusion in the initiation camp.
The object Memorial figure of a female dignitary “ngudi” with the object ID 3036575 was last part of the auction 76th tribal art auction at March 22, 2014 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 609.
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Comparing literature
Schmalenbach, Werner (Hg.), Afrikanische Kunst aus der Sammlung Barbier-Mueller, Genf, München 1988, p. 238