Very rare double figure, before 1910
Knud Nielsen, Jelling, Denmark
Description
wood, pigments, rest., insect caused damage, cracks
Knud Nielsen received this sculpture as a gift from his artist friend Robert Jacobsen, whose comment about this piece was documented by Nielsen as follows: “We two old giants stand back in this artistic wilderness we have ended up in !” Jacobsen could not have expressed his deep admiration for this extremely expressive work and the artists of Africa more convincingly.
There is no knowledge about the original function of this double figure due to missing sources.
Known from the Bakundu are primarily much smaller figurines and double figures, which are called “mosongo”. They represent a supernatural power which punishes those who swear falsely and are used in divination (cf. Gardi, 1994, p. 63 ff.).