The squatting figure, crouched with the hands placed behind the ears, the elbows resting on the knees and the head thrust forward, is found in the art of several groups of peoples in central-southern Zaire, but it is best known from the small carvings of the Lulua, e.g. a squatting figure and a mortar, both in the Musée Royale de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, (Segy, 1952, p.23, fig.7, and Schmalenbach, New York, 1954, p.117, fig.106, respectively). It is also found amongst the Kuba (e.g. Christie's, 17 June 1980, lot 284, and Bastin, 1984, p.350, fig.373), the Tetela (Wardwell, 1986, pp.126 and 127, no.61) and the Holoholo (Kerchache, 1988, p.582, fig.1035). In the present example, which is attributed to the Lulua, there are certain characteristics which are also found amongst the Chokwe, a phenomenon which could be explained by the two caravans of Chokwe that arrived amongst the Lulua towards the end of the last century (personal communication with Mme.Bastin). The position of the hands and the expression on the face also calls to mind "The Scream" of Munch