Figure "mboko" - Luba - DR Congo

Mboko cup-bearer of the Luba
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Height: 44 cm
Estimated age: 1930
Weight: 2800 g
Condition: tension cracks under both knees of the mboko, minor losses.
Provenance: collection of the White Fathers - Antwerp; collection of Heinrich Westerdijk - Netherlands (circa 1960); Belgian private collection

The Mboko figures or cup-bearers of the Luba and their various subgroups and neighbors all share the same concept: a woman kneeling, crouching, and sometimes even standing, holding a bowl, a cup, or a container in front of her, and rarely also on her head. Here, the bowl, lined with white clay, rests on her bare legs, extended in front of her and supported by her turned feet. The figure represents a young, sturdy woman. She has a disk-shaped hairstyle with a broad band at the front, revealing a lively and intense face with nicely sculpted features. In particular, the protruding eyes are perfectly rendered, as are the nose and lips. She has triangular scarifications over most of her torso and wears three Mpunduji (blue) beads from the Luba around her neck. Fine natural dark brown patina directly on the very dense surface of the hardwood. A very lively woman with a great youthful charm.

Sold with its handwritten certificate of authenticity signed by Mr. Peter Westerdijk.

Mr. Heinrich Westerdijk was a major collector of African art as well as a passionate connoisseur of tribal weapons, on which he wrote one of the very first books on the subject titled "ijzerwerk van Centraal-Afrika" (Iron Work of Central Africa), the cover of which you can see in the last photograph.

Delivery insured (Bpost)