Sale 214 Lot 489

CONGOLESE KONGO MOTHER AND CHILD PHEMBA STATUE This Kongo mother and child sculpture (also known as a phemba or mpemba) is a profound icon of Central African art from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, symbolizing the continuity of life and the vital connection between ancestors and the living. Carved from dark, aged wood with a rich patina, the figure depicts a mother in a powerful kneeling or seated posture, her hands firmly guiding a smaller child—a composition that represents both physical fertility and the spiritual nurturing of the next generation. The statue is notable for its intricate diamond-shaped scarification patterns on the torso, which were traditionally considered signs of beauty and high social status, while her serene facial expression and elaborate, pointed coiffure denote refined character and authority. Often associated with the Mpemba fertility cult, these figures were used as focal points in rituals intended to resolve issues of infertility or to ensure the protection of newborn children, serving as a physical vessel through which the mother could seek the intercession of maternal spirits. Height: 18 inches
$200-300