Mangbetu ancestor statue - DR Congo
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€ 1
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Selected by Surya Rutten
Has over 25 years' experience in Asian art and owned an art gallery.
Estimate € 400 - € 450
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Description from the seller
Origin. Democratic Republic of the Congo
Name of the tribe. Mangbetou
Material. Wood
Dimension. 72 cm
Mode of shipment. Colissimo within 24-48h, open.
Anthropomorphic Mangbetu box, originating from the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Uele region). This is a prestige object that combines daily utility with refined aesthetics, typical of the court art of this people.
Body (The receptacle): The central cylindrical part is made from a wide strip of bark (often neflet wood) rolled and sewn. Originally, these boxes were used to store precious objects: jewelry, ivory hairpins, or sometimes honey.
Head and Legs (The support): The ends are carved in dense wood with a brown or honey patina. The figure's neck serves as a handle for the lid, while the sturdy legs ensure the object's stability.
The upper part is most revealing of Mangbetu culture:
Cranial deformation: The head is elongated toward the back. This was a sign of beauty and high social rank. From birth, infants' heads were bound with raffia cords to achieve this elongation.
Hairstyle (Tumburu): It is sculpted with great precision, imitating braided hair on reed fibers to form a fan or a characteristic "halo" of aristocratic women.
Facial features: Almond-shaped eyes (often like coffee beans) and scarification lines (or body paintings based on the juice of randia) emphasize aesthetic refinement.
These objects fascinated early European explorers and collectors in the late 19th century. Although functional at first, these anthropomorphic containers became commissioned and prestigious objects. They attest to the importance the Mangbetu attached to physical appearance as a mirror of the social and political structure of their kingdom.
Note: In local tradition, these figures can also be linked to ancestors (beli) and were sometimes used during rituals of the Nebeli secret society.
Origin. Democratic Republic of the Congo
Name of the tribe. Mangbetou
Material. Wood
Dimension. 72 cm
Mode of shipment. Colissimo within 24-48h, open.
Anthropomorphic Mangbetu box, originating from the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Uele region). This is a prestige object that combines daily utility with refined aesthetics, typical of the court art of this people.
Body (The receptacle): The central cylindrical part is made from a wide strip of bark (often neflet wood) rolled and sewn. Originally, these boxes were used to store precious objects: jewelry, ivory hairpins, or sometimes honey.
Head and Legs (The support): The ends are carved in dense wood with a brown or honey patina. The figure's neck serves as a handle for the lid, while the sturdy legs ensure the object's stability.
The upper part is most revealing of Mangbetu culture:
Cranial deformation: The head is elongated toward the back. This was a sign of beauty and high social rank. From birth, infants' heads were bound with raffia cords to achieve this elongation.
Hairstyle (Tumburu): It is sculpted with great precision, imitating braided hair on reed fibers to form a fan or a characteristic "halo" of aristocratic women.
Facial features: Almond-shaped eyes (often like coffee beans) and scarification lines (or body paintings based on the juice of randia) emphasize aesthetic refinement.
These objects fascinated early European explorers and collectors in the late 19th century. Although functional at first, these anthropomorphic containers became commissioned and prestigious objects. They attest to the importance the Mangbetu attached to physical appearance as a mirror of the social and political structure of their kingdom.
Note: In local tradition, these figures can also be linked to ancestors (beli) and were sometimes used during rituals of the Nebeli secret society.
Details
Number of objects
1
Country of Origin
DR Congo
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Good condition
Title of artwork
Mangbetu ancestor statue
Width
72 cm
Authenticity
Original/official
Sold by
