Power figure
Eric Grate, Stockholm, Sweden
Pierre Dartevelle, Brussels, Belgium
Description
wood, brown patina, red pigment, the armless trunk wrapped in fabric, which is filled and spread with magical mass, metal ring around the hips, metal tag eyes, the facial plane coated with vertical striations, slightly dam., missing parts through insect caused damage (inner side of the right foot and both foot soles), base;
the Teke make a distinction between the spirits of ancestors, which are present in “nkira” figures, and anonymous spirits, which inhabit “buti” figures. It is not normally possible to classify a figure on the basis of its appearance. The difference between “nkira” and “buti” depends both on the components used and on the context in which the figure is used. “Buti” figures were used for a wide range of purposes such as healing, protection against spells, ensuring good fortune in hunting or trading, the rapid acquisition of wealth or revenge.