Sale 214 Lot 481

CONGOLESE POWER NKISHI SONGYE POWER FIGURE This power figure, or nkishi, from the Songye people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is a potent ritual object designed to act as a protective vessel for the community or an individual. Carved from dark, polished wood, the figure stands in a characteristically tense, semi-squatting posture with hands resting on a distended abdomen, which features a central cavity intended to hold sacred medicinal ingredients or bishimba. The head is exceptionally ornate, featuring a striking brass-tack encrusted face and a metal-plated beard that signify the figure's aggressive, protective power, while a large animal horn—likely from an antelope—emerges from the cranium to act as a conduit for spiritual energy. Adorned with a necklace of blue and white beads, these figures were traditionally "activated" by a ritual specialist to ward off malevolent spirits, cure illnesses, or ensure success in vital community endeavors. height: 16 inches
$150-200