Small standing male figure ·  R. D. Congo, Bembe · ID: 3034648

Description

wood, brown patina, blackened in parts, eyes with porcelain inlay, min. dam., missing parts (neck plait), crack backside, acrylic socle;
the opening on the back was used by the “nganga” to give vital force to the figure, afterwards it was filled with magical material: “bilongo” (medicine) or relics of an ancestor (hair, pieces of finger nails or bones) as a symbol of the power and spirit of the deceased relative. Afterwards the opening was closed by a piece of fabric or a plug. As long as the spirit stayed within the statue, it watched over his descendants and punished contempts against customs and rules. Belonging to the so-called “crypto-power figures”, a terminology introduced by William Fagg.

L’objet Small standing male figure avec l’ID d’objet 3034648 a fait partie de la dernière vente aux enchères 73rd tribal art auction dans 25 mai 2013 le Zemanek-Münster Hôtel des ventes. L’objet portant le numéro de lot 356 a atteint un prix de vente de 1 000 €.

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