Small standing figure ·  R. D. Congo, Lega · ID: 3037840

Description

ivory, honey brown patina, hollowed inside, abraded surface, facial features hardly recognizable, min.dam., small missing parts, base;
the almost fossilized ivory is proof of the piece’s great age;
such figures are manipulated in diverse ways during rituals, being arranged in configurations (including placement facing in different directions) or held during dancing. The ivory may be rubbed with oil or perfume, or else polished with sandpaper, producing a powder that may be used as a medicine. The significance of these figures can only be judged through knowledge of their use in their original ritual context, which may change with the ritual in which they are employed. They may act as signifiers of rank, marks of identity, or commemorations of ancestors.

Littérature comparée

Musée du Quai Branly (ed.), L' Art des Lega, Paris 2013, p. 148, ill. 124