Small standing figure
Adrian Schlag, Brussels, Belgium
Description
wood, slightly shiny brown patina, remains of pigments, blue bead necklace, hands resting on the belly, calm facial features with almost closed lids, coiffure separated from the face by a headband, hole on top of the head, rep. (breakage left foot), fine cracks, base;
the Kanyok have their homeland in the central south of Congo, between the Lunda in the southwest and the Luba in the northeast, to the east of the Kete and northeast of the Chokwe. As with other peoples in the neighbourhood, the artworks of the Kanyok have strongly been influenced by the Luba and - occasionally - also by the Songe.
One of the principal towns is Kanda-Kanda which lies on the northern outskirts of the Kanyok kingdom. Because of stylistic reasons it is quite likely that present figure derives from there.