A MAGNIFICENT SONGYE MAGICAL COMMUNITY FIGURE, nkishi, standing with the arms carved free of the body and the hands placed on the ample abdomen, the head with large eyes, flared nose, the mouth a figure-of-eight with carved teeth, squared jutting chin, a carved band over the forehead, small angular buttocks, small pectoral muscles, the large feet spread over the domed circular base, an inset antelope horn pegged to the right eye, another larger horn inset in the top of the head, with fibre necklace

Details

A MAGNIFICENT SONGYE MAGICAL COMMUNITY FIGURE, nkishi, standing with the arms carved free of the body and the hands placed on the ample abdomen, the head with large eyes, flared nose, the mouth a figure-of-eight with carved teeth, squared jutting chin, a carved band over the forehead, small angular buttocks, small pectoral muscles, the large feet spread over the domed circular base, an inset antelope horn pegged to the right eye, another larger horn inset in the top of the head, with fibre necklace
90cm. high

Provenance

Chauveau, Brussels
Lommen, Maestricht

Literature

Kerchache, Paudrat and Stéphan, 1993, p.451, fig.720

Lot Essay

This superb figure appears to be unique in having an antelope horn secured to the right eye by a wooden peg.
Willy Mestach has kindly brought to our attention a half figure , pierced a the centre, also with a hole in its eye, collected amongst the Okitulonga (Lufungu) of the North West Songye by Torday and Joyce (1922, fig.12a). However he advises us that the present figure is more likely to be from the Songye of the South West, probably Bena-Kibeshi-Belande

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