Standing male power figure "nkisi" ·  D. R. Congo, Songe/Tetela · ID: 3039570

Description

wood, reddish brown patina, traces of black paint, encrustations with sacrificial matters in some places, eyes with cowrie shell inlay, leather straps, strings of blue glass beads and plant fibre cord attached, characteristic posture and heavy-weighted large head, unusual mouth part, merged to a unit with the triangular flattened nose, head and both shoulders provided with openings filled with magical mass, aglets and metal tags, the latter can be found on the face as well, fragmentary because of insect caused damage, both legs missing, metal base;
among the Songe the most elaborate public rituals were organized on the day of the first quarter of a lunar cycle. The new moon signalled new life, fertility, and wealth, and was therefore associated with both the human life-cycle and the agricultural calendar. The spirits of the dead were venerated at this ritual time and all “mankisi” were recharged.

The object Standing male power figure “nkisi” with the object ID 3039570 was last part of the auction 81st Tribal Art Auction at October 31, 2015 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 495 achieved a sales price of EUR 15,000.

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Comparing literature

Petridis, Constantine, Art and Power in the Central African Savanna, Brussels 2008, p. 87 ff.