Standing female figure ·  Sambia, Kaonde · ID: 3037678

Description

wood, reddish brown patina, small remains of black paint (back), strong body with broad shoulders, bulky head and arms akimbo, incised tribal marks on face and body, female sexual characteristics accentuated, slightly dam., cracks, cut at the lower legs, block-like base;
standing female figure of the type once used in “mbudye” initiation rites to represent the myriad titles and officeholders in the Luba royal hierarchy. Each title is represented by a sculpture. So the sculptures serve as surrogates, familiarizing the initiate with “mbudye’s” structure.

The object Standing female figure with the object ID 3037678 was last part of the auction 78th tribal art auction at October 18, 2014 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 457 achieved a sales price of EUR 4,500.

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Comparing literature

Roberts, Mary Nooter, Memory, New York 1996, p. 121 f.