Mask - Congo (No reserve price)

Hemba Statue
Hemba Singiti Ancestor Statue
Belgian collection of African art
Generally carved from iroko wood, these ritual-purpose African statues commemorating a local chief were venerated by a specific clan and kept within the chief's own dwelling. The cult of the ancestors, whose effigies have long been attributed to the Luba, is indeed central in Hemba society. The Singiti sculptures were kept by the fumu mwalo in spaces designated for funerary purposes and honored during ceremonies in which sacrifices were offered to them.
Matte patina. Erosions and cracks.