Standing female figure ·  D. R. Congo, Kasai, Lulua · ID: 3048162

Description

wood, collection number “FX97914”, rest., base

This figure is covered with a sticky patina and has traces of red pigment on it.

Figures of particularly beautiful stature, whose attractiveness was enhanced by rubbing them with a mixture of oil, red earth and lime, were often used by a cult called “bwanga bwa bwimpe.”

“Bwimpe” means “beauty”. Beauty should be understood as a combination of external physical beauty and internal (moral or ethical) goodness. The combination of moral and aesthetic qualities was ultimately believed to offer the best protection agains sorcery or evil.

The object Standing female figure with the object ID 3048162 was last part of the auction 97th Auction at November 6, 2021 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 333 achieved a sales price of EUR 3,800.

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Publications

AHDRC: 0176313