African art - Kongo Yombé Pfemba statuette (No. 17153) - ethnic decoration

Belgian collection accompanied by its certificate of authenticity. Ethnic group: kongo. Country: congo estimated date: circa 1960 tribal sculpture of the kongo, this miniature sculpture depicting a maternity sitting cross-legged embodies the ancestor of the clan, a mediating figure. The child on her knees embodies the matrilineal transmission of power. The mouth reveals traditionally filed teeth, while the gaze underlines the grandmother's ability to discern occult things. A clan of the kongo group, the yombe are established on the west coast of africa, in the southwest of the republic of congo and in angola. Their statuary includes remarkable maternities. Among the kongo, the nganga was responsible for rituals by activating a spiritual force with a nkondi (pl. Nkissi). The term nkisi was then used to designate the notions of "sacred" or "divine". The most influential category of "minkisi kongo" consisted of instruments intended to help regional chiefs enforce the law. A metal object was nailed to a wooden figure as soon as a decision was made, each nail representing a particular case: parties in dispute, divorce, conflicts between communities, etc. The nkondi thus wanted to ensure that the agreement to settle the conflict was properly implemented, and that individuals feared the consequences of their behavior. Its appearance therefore personified the force residing there. From the second half of the 20th century, minkisi minkondi were strategically placed along the coasts of the loango kingdom to protect against european incursions. Among the most powerful, the mangaaka was considered the "king" and "master", supreme arbiter of conflicts and protector of communities, and who became the most ambitious and monumental sculptural genre. Source: "le geste kongo" ed. Musée dapper and "trésors d'afrique" musée de tervuren; "the soul of africa" by s. Diakonoff.