Standing male magical figure "nkisi" ·  D. R. Congo, Songye · ID: 3033927

Description

wood, stained middle brown patina, the eyes inset with cowrie snails, appliqués of copper sheet on nose and temples, headdress of animal skin, tubes of animal skin filled with magical substances around the neck and the belly, a small folded package at the navel, raffia loincloth, dam., missing parts (front half of the base, finger tips), cracks (left wrist), small traces of insect caused damage;
the localization of Songe statues is very difficult, because of various reasons (free circuculation, destruction of cult objects, substyles). The most dominant artistic wave in the Songe region is the style of the Kalebwe. This and the following (lot 429) “nkisi” figure are coming from the same village and made by the same hand. The similarity of the two figures is evident: narrow edged shoulders, a box-shaped flattened breast, which is flanked by free carved arms and the fan-shaped arranged fingers resting on the abdomen. The form of the head and the mouth varies, but nearly identical are the form of the eyes and the undercut brows, but above all the look of the two heads in profile. Finally the usage of copper sheet appliqués, cowrie snails and the animal skin headdresses wrapped tight around the heads.

The object Standing male magical figure “nkisi” with the object ID 3033927 was last part of the auction 71st tribal art auction at November 24, 2012 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 428 achieved a sales price of EUR 4,500.

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