Seated female ancestor figure "singiti · D. R. Congo, Luba-Hemba · ID: 3052170
Starting price
EUR 8,000
Estimated price
EUR 15,000
Provenance
Joseph Christiaens, Brussels, BelgiumZemanek-Münster, Würzburg, Germany, 25 February 2006, lot 254
Zemanek-Münster, Würzburg, Germany, 26 March 2022, lot 83
Werner Zintl, Worms, Germany
Size
L: 23 cm
H: 33 cm
L: 9.1 inch
H: 13.0 inch
Description
wood, base
Female figures in a comparable sitting posture with outstretched legs are usually complemented by a bowl. They are found among the Luba and are called “mboko”.
The present unusual figure, however, is conceived without a bowl, both hands resting on the thighs. Her facial features express a great calmness, her shoulders are taut and her posture extremely dignified despite her seated position. With her rich scarifications, she probably represents a female ancestor of high social rank “singiti”.
Comparing literature
Neyt, François, La Grande Statuaire Hemba du Zaire, Louvain-la-Neuve 1977, p. 238 f.
Publications
Tribal Arts, Hiver / Printemps 1999 / 2000, p. 61
AHDRC: 0028413