Kuba-Dengese anthropomorphic figure - DR Congo

Rare Kuba-Dengese anthropomorphic figure – Kuba Kingdom, D.R. Congo. This remarkable ancient sculpture, of great formal elegance, stands out for its elongated proportions and its powerfully expressive face with finely incised scarifications. The geometric coiffure, the grid-like neck decoration, and the perfectly balanced volumes testify to the refinement of Dengese sculpture. Its deep brown-black patina, polished by handling and time, reveals evident antiquity and lends the piece an exceptional presence.

Kuba anthropomorphic figures were associated with notions of prestige, ancestral memory, and authority. They could play a role in ritual or symbolic contexts related to lineages and dignitaries. The quality of execution, the fineness of the scarifications, and the excellent conservation of this work make it a choice piece for collectors of classical African art.

Provenance: Former European collection. Private collection, Switzerland

Presentation of our appraisal house

Based in Belgium, our appraisal and sales house specializes in African art and ethnography. A reference seller on Catawiki for more than 8 years, we enjoy a solid reputation and a track record of several hundred sales with a near 100% satisfaction rate.

We regularly assist with liquidations, successions, and dispersals of collections, in collaboration with private individuals and families in Belgium and neighboring countries. Our approach is rigorous, transparent, and accessible, with many sales proposed without reserve prices.

Some pieces that have passed through our hands have joined international private collections and, for some, museum institutions.

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