Standing male figure ·  D. R. Congo, Basikasingo · ID: 3032532

Description

wood, blackish brown patina, encrusted in some areas, both arms close to the body, ornamental bladebones, accentuated spine, slightly dam., cracks, paint rubbed off, on plate;
the Basikasingo have rites for ancestors, who have the power to cause disease and misfortune. If a mischief happened, people tried to experience the wishes of the ancestors by interpreting dreams and by sooth saying. They were kept in small shrines under the authority and guardianship of a petty chief, village headman or dominant lineage elder. Sometimes such figures were individually identified ancestors, called “bashumbu”.

The object Standing male figure with the object ID 3032532 was part of the auction 68th tribal art auction on March 3, 2012. The object with the lot number 430 achieved a sales price of EUR 5,000 with an asking price of EUR 900.

You can find more Figures and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on African art.

Comparing literature

Biebuyck, Daniel P., Statuary from the pre-Bembe hunters, Tervuren 1981, p.115 Kerchache, Jacques, Paudrat, Jean-Louis u.a., Die Kunst des Schwarzen Afrika, Freiburg, Basel, Wien 1988, p. 584 f.