Standing male power figure "buti" · D. R. Congo, Teke · ID: 3045742
Frans Heymans, Antwerp, Belgium
Zemanek-Münster, 25 February 2006, Lot 352
German Private Collection
Description
wood, pigments, base
Among the Teke, a freshly sculpted figure is called “tege” and is considered to have no power.
The statues mystical power will come from the actions of a specialist practitioner in magical arts, the “nga”, who will smear a mixture of kaolin and tula (red wood powder) on the bust of the sculpture. Then the “nga” will introduce into the abdominal cavity of the figure a “power charge” made up from different elements coming from the vegetal, animal and mineral world called “bonga"bwanga”.
After the magical charge was applied, the figures were called “buti”.
The object Standing male power figure “buti” with the object ID 3045742 was last part of the auction 92nd Tribal Art Auction at June 29, 2019 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 238.
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