Royal memorial figure "ndop" · D. R. Congo, Kuba Kingdom, Kuba-Bushoong · ID: 3050813

Name: Royal memorial figure "ndop"
SKU: 3050813
Availability: Discontinued

not available anymore

Provenance

Belgian Private Collection

Size

H: 29 cm

H: 11.4 inch

Description

wood,

Initially, these figures were identified with Shyaam aMbul aNgoong, the founder of the Kuba-Bushoong dynasty, who is credited with many Kuba cultural innovations.

Subsequent scholarship characterised the “ndop” as posthumously created commemorative figures representing various Kuba rulers “nyim”. Scholars agree that the tradition of the king’s “portrait statue” was begun in the late eighteenth century.

When the “nyim” died, the statue was brought to his deathbed so that the king could transfer his life force to it. His successor then had to go into seclusion with the statue in order to be filled with the king’s power.

The object Royal memorial figure “ndop” with the object ID 3050813 was last part of the auction 102nd Auction at April 13, 2024 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 236.

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