Power figur ·  D. R. Congo, Songe / Luba · ID: 3041500

Description

wood, brown patina, remains of pigments, conical corpus, wrapped in a “skirt” made from small animal horns, carved with four anthropomorphic faces, crowned by a big package containing magical substances and a small horn, min. dam., missing parts through insect caused damage, fine cracks, slight traces of abrasion, base;
such objects are associated with the all-seeing and all-hearing “bavidye” spirits. They advised against the consequences of ill-will and misbehaviour, and with their help justice was dispensed and peace (re)established. The many heads signal heightened powers of vision and clairvoyance, and the ability of the diviner to see in all directions.

The object Power figur with the object ID 3041500 was last part of the auction 84th Tribal Art Auction at November 5, 2016 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 469 achieved a sales price of EUR 8,000.

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Comparing literature

Sotheby's, New York, 16 May 1985, lot 186 (comparable object)