Ancestral Fetish - Hemba / Luba - DR Congo
06
days
23
hours
32
minutes
28
seconds
Starting bid
€ 1
Reserve price not met
Expert
Selected by Julien Gauthier
A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 220 - € 250
No bids placed
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Description from the seller
Congo RDC
Hemba / Luba
Wood
Height: 160mm + base 20mm
Width: 55mm
Depth: 50mm
Weight: 120g
This 16 cm tall wooden statuette comes from the southeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Its major morphological attributes – notably the cross-shaped hairstyle at the rear – anchor it more precisely in Luba or Zela (a Luba cultural sub-group) art. Because of its small size and configuration, it belongs to the category of protective objects and intercessors of the Bugabo secret society or the ancestor cult.
1. Analysis of stylistic and bodily codes
Despite its small scale, the sculptor has concentrated the classic canons of Luba-Hemba area statuary:
The gesture of devotion and fertility: the female figure supports her two generous breasts with her hands. This gesture is not merely maternity with child, but an allegory of the transmission of life, lineage, and respect for the ancestors who are the clan’s matrices. The navel is pronounced and the abdomen shows reliefs evoking ritual scarifications.
The cross-shaped coiffure at the back of the head reveals a hairstyle sculpted in the form of a cross of flat braids layered over one another. It is one of the major identity markers of the Luba/Hemba/Zela sub-region, reproducing the complex hairstyles worn by high-ranking women in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The lacquered anointing patina: The statuette is coated with a very dark, glossy patina and in places thick. It results from repeated applications of palm oil mixed with ritual plant powders, intended to honor and reactivate the object’s power.
2. Use: A talisman of protection and healing
Because of its 16 cm height, this object was not publicly displayed in a common case but belonged to the sacred private sphere or to a diviner’s domain:
The magical receptacle of the diviner: The openings or cracks visible on the head and along the back were sometimes used to insert or apply medicinal substances. The statuette served as an intercessor during healing rituals, especially to protect pregnant women, ensure a safe birth, or treat illnesses of early childhood.
The protection of the lineage: Kept within the family in a basket or a sacred pouch, it acted as a shield against life-destroying evil spirits (Bishimba) and the malicious intentions of sorcerers.
3. Meaning: The woman as pillar of power and sacredness
Among the Luba and related groups, the woman occupies a central metaphysical place. Kings and chiefs claimed legitimacy through maternal ancestry.
Representing a woman holding her torso, with half-closed eyes in an attitude of calm dignity, recalls that the female body is the receptacle of the secrets of power, the soul of the ancestors, and the clan’s continuity. The statuette thus embodies a benevolent spiritual force, acting as the guardian of memory and of fertility for its owners.
The packages are sent from Monday to Saturday with insurance and a tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France via Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery to the rest of Europe and worldwide via Colissimo International.
We speak English
Mask African art Afrikaans Maskenkunst arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
statue african art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateCongo RDC
Hemba / Luba
Wood
Height: 160mm + base 20mm
Width: 55mm
Depth: 50mm
Weight: 120g
This 16 cm tall wooden statuette comes from the southeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Its major morphological attributes – notably the cross-shaped hairstyle at the rear – anchor it more precisely in Luba or Zela (a Luba cultural sub-group) art. Because of its small size and configuration, it belongs to the category of protective objects and intercessors of the Bugabo secret society or the ancestor cult.
1. Analysis of stylistic and bodily codes
Despite its small scale, the sculptor has concentrated the classic canons of Luba-Hemba area statuary:
The gesture of devotion and fertility: the female figure supports her two generous breasts with her hands. This gesture is not merely maternity with child, but an allegory of the transmission of life, lineage, and respect for the ancestors who are the clan’s matrices. The navel is pronounced and the abdomen shows reliefs evoking ritual scarifications.
The cross-shaped coiffure at the back of the head reveals a hairstyle sculpted in the form of a cross of flat braids layered over one another. It is one of the major identity markers of the Luba/Hemba/Zela sub-region, reproducing the complex hairstyles worn by high-ranking women in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The lacquered anointing patina: The statuette is coated with a very dark, glossy patina and in places thick. It results from repeated applications of palm oil mixed with ritual plant powders, intended to honor and reactivate the object’s power.
2. Use: A talisman of protection and healing
Because of its 16 cm height, this object was not publicly displayed in a common case but belonged to the sacred private sphere or to a diviner’s domain:
The magical receptacle of the diviner: The openings or cracks visible on the head and along the back were sometimes used to insert or apply medicinal substances. The statuette served as an intercessor during healing rituals, especially to protect pregnant women, ensure a safe birth, or treat illnesses of early childhood.
The protection of the lineage: Kept within the family in a basket or a sacred pouch, it acted as a shield against life-destroying evil spirits (Bishimba) and the malicious intentions of sorcerers.
3. Meaning: The woman as pillar of power and sacredness
Among the Luba and related groups, the woman occupies a central metaphysical place. Kings and chiefs claimed legitimacy through maternal ancestry.
Representing a woman holding her torso, with half-closed eyes in an attitude of calm dignity, recalls that the female body is the receptacle of the secrets of power, the soul of the ancestors, and the clan’s continuity. The statuette thus embodies a benevolent spiritual force, acting as the guardian of memory and of fertility for its owners.
The packages are sent from Monday to Saturday with insurance and a tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France via Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery to the rest of Europe and worldwide via Colissimo International.
We speak English
Mask African art Afrikaans Maskenkunst arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
statue african art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Ethnic group/ culture
Hemba / Luba
Country of Origin
DR Congo
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
Yes
Condition
Good condition
Title of artwork
Ancestral Fetish
Sold by
