Standing male power figure "nkisi" ·  D. R. Congo, Songye · ID: 3033923

Description

wood, earthy reddish brown patina, the eyes inset with cowrie snails, appliqués of copper sheet on nose and cheeks, loincloth of coarse sacking, headdress and hanging in front of the belly made of animal skin, a tube of lizard skin filled with magical substances around the neck, slightly dam., minor missing parts, traces of insect caused damage (left hand, belly, right thigh), cracks, traces of old age;
present figure is carved in the same style of the Kalebwe; the similarity with lot 428 is evident; presumbly from the same hand.

The object Standing male power figure “nkisi” with the object ID 3033923 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 429 achieved a sales price of EUR 5,000.

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Comparing literature

Mestach, Jean Willy, Songye Studien, München 1985, p. 65 f. Hersak, Dunja, Songye, Masks and Figure Sculpture, London 1986, p. 140 f.