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Open a larger version of the following image in a popup: Kongo Mirror Power Figure, Villi People, DRC, 1st half 20th Century

Kongo Mirror Power Figure, Villi People, DRC

1st half 20th Century
Wood, mirror, Turaco feathers, organic material, glass
34 x 8 x 5 cm
13 3/8 x 3 1/8 x 2 in
10080
POA
Enquire
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Nkisi, the bust leaning forward, as if bending under the weight of the overdivided ventral charge, fixed by a thick dark resin and closed by a mirror. The raised head, whose length is accentuated by the high cranial load decorated with feathers, offers a face with delicately modeled features, eyes set with shards of glass and the mouth half-open with fleshy lips finely hemmed. Very nice nuanced patina, brown and dark-brow.Excellent condition overall. Wear consistent with age and repeated use within the culture. Some missing ends at the top of the feathers, as shown in the illustration.This statue is distinguished by the sculptural quality of the head, combining dynamism of the pose, tension of the stretched lines and very great delicacy in the modeling of the face. It imposes itself masterfully, the rest of the body disappearing behind the over-divided ventral reliquary.cf. Lehuard (1989: 273) for a Vili statuette offering a ventral reliquary of comparable proportions, from the Claudius Cote collection and acquired by the Musée de l'Homme in 1960.In his stylistic study of Kongo statuary,Lehuard (idem: 240-243) places this Nkisi statuette in the "D5 sub-style", essentially characterized by facial features: "it stretches, the chin is clearly released from the hollow cheeks [...]. Very sensitive lengthening of the lower limbs with this substyle, recognized in the village of Mpili, north of Pointe-Noire". Among the other Nkisi statuettes linked by Lehuard to this same style is the one collected by Visser and deposited for a time in the Linden-Museum (idem: 242).

Nkisi, le buste penché en avant, comme s'il se courbait sous le poids de la charge ventrale surchargée, fixée par une épaisse résine sombre et fermée par un miroir. La tête surélevée, dont la longueur est accentuée par la charge crânienne élevée décorée de plumes, offre un visage aux traits délicatement modelés, des yeux ornés de morceaux de verre et une bouche entrouverte aux lèvres charnues finement ourlées. Très belle patine nuancée, brune et sombre. Excellent état général. Usure conforme à l'âge et à une utilisation répétée au sein de la culture. Quelques extrémités manquantes au sommet des plumes, comme le montre l'illustration. Cette statue se distingue par la qualité sculpturale de la tête, alliant dynamisme de la pose, tension des lignes étirées et grande délicatesse dans le modelage du visage. Elle s'impose avec maîtrise, le reste du corps disparaissant derrière le reliquaire ventral surchargé. Cf. Lehuard (1989: 273) pour une statuette Vili offrant un reliquaire ventral de proportions comparables, provenant de la collection Claudius Cote et acquise par le Musée de l'Homme en 1960. Dans son étude stylistique de la statuaire Kongo, Lehuard (idem: 240-243) place cette statuette Nkisi dans le "sous-style D5", caractérisé essentiellement par les traits du visage : "il s'étire, le menton se détache nettement des joues creuses [...]. Allongement très sensible des membres inférieurs avec ce sous-style, reconnu dans le village de Mpili, au nord de Pointe-Noire". Parmi les autres statuettes Nkisi liées par Lehuard à ce même style, on trouve celle collectée par Visser et déposée pendant un certain temps au Linden-Museum (idem: 242).
Lees meer

Provenance

Marc L.Felix-collection n° FC 14, Belgium
Bareiss family, USA
Belgian Private Collection

Exposities

Stanley Museum of Art ,Iowa,1999;Neuberger Museum of Art, New York, 2000

Publications

Kilengi-African Art from the Bareiss Family Collection by Christopher D.Roy,The University of Iowa, 1997
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