Statue / Fetish - Tchokwé / Chokwe - DR Congo
06
days
21
hours
38
minutes
33
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 € 500 - € 550
No bids placed
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Description from the seller
DRC Congo
Chokwe / Tchokwe
Wood
Height: 230 mm + base
Width: 55 mm
Depth: 60 mm
Geographic and cultural origin
• People: Chokwe (or Tchokwe).
• Region: A vast area covering northeastern Angola, southern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and part of Zambia.
• Stylistic characteristics: The statuette displays the classic, refined traits of Chokwe art. Notable are the relatively large head, a complex, finely carved headdress (reminiscent of traditional earth-and-oil hairstyles), and expressive facial features with large almond-shaped, half-closed eyes. The anatomy features generous curves at the hips and buttocks, contrasted with bent, muscular legs, a dynamic posture typical of this statuary.
Ritual use and significance
• Fertility and ancestors worship (Hamba): In Chokwe matrilineal society, female figurines like this often embody ancestral spirits or protective deities called Hamba (singular: Mahamba). They play a crucial role in rituals related to fertility, motherhood, and the continuity of the lineage.
• Motherhood / Offering: The figure holds a ritual object or attribute (sometimes likened to a child, a libation cup, or an instrument) clasped between its hands at the abdomen. This position highlights the navel and the belly, symbols of the life-giving transmission and the protective ancestral power.
• Domestic and therapeutic protection: These small ritual figures typically belonged to diviners or family heads. They were kept in divination baskets or small domestic shrines. They were consulted to treat women’s infertility issues, protect the home from witchcraft, or accompany divination rituals by serving as a channel of communication with the unseen world.
• Patina: The wood has a dark, oily, very glossy patina. This finish results from successive applications of vegetable oil mixed with red earth (tukula powder), applied regularly to honor the spirit dwelling in the object and to maintain its protective efficacy.
Packages are sent Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France via Chronopost, 2 to 5 days throughout the European Union.
Delivery to the rest of Europe and worldwide via Colissimo International.
We speak English
Mask african art Afrikanische 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 TranslateDRC Congo
Chokwe / Tchokwe
Wood
Height: 230 mm + base
Width: 55 mm
Depth: 60 mm
Geographic and cultural origin
• People: Chokwe (or Tchokwe).
• Region: A vast area covering northeastern Angola, southern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and part of Zambia.
• Stylistic characteristics: The statuette displays the classic, refined traits of Chokwe art. Notable are the relatively large head, a complex, finely carved headdress (reminiscent of traditional earth-and-oil hairstyles), and expressive facial features with large almond-shaped, half-closed eyes. The anatomy features generous curves at the hips and buttocks, contrasted with bent, muscular legs, a dynamic posture typical of this statuary.
Ritual use and significance
• Fertility and ancestors worship (Hamba): In Chokwe matrilineal society, female figurines like this often embody ancestral spirits or protective deities called Hamba (singular: Mahamba). They play a crucial role in rituals related to fertility, motherhood, and the continuity of the lineage.
• Motherhood / Offering: The figure holds a ritual object or attribute (sometimes likened to a child, a libation cup, or an instrument) clasped between its hands at the abdomen. This position highlights the navel and the belly, symbols of the life-giving transmission and the protective ancestral power.
• Domestic and therapeutic protection: These small ritual figures typically belonged to diviners or family heads. They were kept in divination baskets or small domestic shrines. They were consulted to treat women’s infertility issues, protect the home from witchcraft, or accompany divination rituals by serving as a channel of communication with the unseen world.
• Patina: The wood has a dark, oily, very glossy patina. This finish results from successive applications of vegetable oil mixed with red earth (tukula powder), applied regularly to honor the spirit dwelling in the object and to maintain its protective efficacy.
Packages are sent Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France via Chronopost, 2 to 5 days throughout the European Union.
Delivery to the rest of Europe and worldwide via Colissimo International.
We speak English
Mask african art Afrikanische 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
Tchokwé / Chokwe
Country of Origin
DR Congo
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
Yes
Condition
Good condition
Title of artwork
Statue / Fetish
Sold by
