Protective talisman - Songye - DR Congo
05
days
13
hours
31
minutes
58
seconds
Starting bid
€ 1
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Selected by Julien Gauthier
A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 350 - € 400
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Description from the seller
Congo RDC
Tchokwé / Chokwé
Wood and raffia
Height: 280
Width: 85mm
Depth: 70mm
Small chip at the upper right lip level, see photos.
This 28 cm tall wooden statue is an anthropomorphic power figure called Nkisi (plural Mankishi). It comes from the Songye (or Songe) people, a major ethnic group established in the Kasai and Katanga regions, southeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Among the Songye, this type of object is not a mere decorative effigy, but a magico-religious receptacle of great power, often described as a fetish.
1. Stylistic Characteristics and Sacred Composition
Songye sculpture is immediately recognizable by its robust, angular forms and the integration of organic composite elements:
The cranial horn: The crown of the head is topped with a real animal horn inserted into the wood, curved backward. This horn is a symbol of male strength, fertility, and dynamic power. In ritual contexts, it also serves as a receptacle to house magical substances (bishimba).
The umbilical cavity and torso: The statue’s hands are geometrically drawn around a prominent abdomen. There is a circular orifice dug at the navel level. This cavity is the central space intended to receive the magical charge that gives the fetish its active force.
Facial treatment: The features are powerful and expressive: almond-shaped or coffee-bean eyes, a strong nose, and a rectangular or slightly open mouth, characteristic of Songye aesthetic canons. The neck is annularly carved.
The skirt of vegetal fibers: The lower half of the body is wrapped in a thick covering of raffia fibers or dry grasses. This clothing element conceals the lower body while reinforcing the ritual and mysterious aspect of the object.
The patina: The wood shows a beautiful nuanced patina, ochre-brown on the chest and face, revealing darker and shinier areas due to handling and ritual oil applications.
2. Spiritual Use and Social Function
In Songye cosmogony, an Nkisi is created by a sculptor but only gains its powers when it is "charged" by the nganga (the diviner-healer) with the bishimba (a secret mixture of plant, animal, and sometimes mineral substances). Given its 28 cm dimension, this is a fetish for family or personal use (as opposed to the large communal Mankishi that protect an entire village):
Protection against sorcery: The primary function of this effigy is to act as a spiritual shield for the home. It protects the family from malevolent forces, nocturnal evil spirits (banyishi), and curses cast by witches.
Therapy and healing: The Nkisi is invoked to treat specific illnesses, ease pain, or identify the spiritual origin of a physical ailment through the diviner.
Prosperity and fertility: Kept with care on a domestic altar, the statue promotes the success of daily activities (hunting, harvests) and ensures the fertility of the women of the house, protecting the lineage.
The Songye have carved many objects: metal axe, stools, neck rests, bracelets, and axes extractors.
The parcels are shipped from Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery between 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 TranslateCongo RDC
Tchokwé / Chokwé
Wood and raffia
Height: 280
Width: 85mm
Depth: 70mm
Small chip at the upper right lip level, see photos.
This 28 cm tall wooden statue is an anthropomorphic power figure called Nkisi (plural Mankishi). It comes from the Songye (or Songe) people, a major ethnic group established in the Kasai and Katanga regions, southeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Among the Songye, this type of object is not a mere decorative effigy, but a magico-religious receptacle of great power, often described as a fetish.
1. Stylistic Characteristics and Sacred Composition
Songye sculpture is immediately recognizable by its robust, angular forms and the integration of organic composite elements:
The cranial horn: The crown of the head is topped with a real animal horn inserted into the wood, curved backward. This horn is a symbol of male strength, fertility, and dynamic power. In ritual contexts, it also serves as a receptacle to house magical substances (bishimba).
The umbilical cavity and torso: The statue’s hands are geometrically drawn around a prominent abdomen. There is a circular orifice dug at the navel level. This cavity is the central space intended to receive the magical charge that gives the fetish its active force.
Facial treatment: The features are powerful and expressive: almond-shaped or coffee-bean eyes, a strong nose, and a rectangular or slightly open mouth, characteristic of Songye aesthetic canons. The neck is annularly carved.
The skirt of vegetal fibers: The lower half of the body is wrapped in a thick covering of raffia fibers or dry grasses. This clothing element conceals the lower body while reinforcing the ritual and mysterious aspect of the object.
The patina: The wood shows a beautiful nuanced patina, ochre-brown on the chest and face, revealing darker and shinier areas due to handling and ritual oil applications.
2. Spiritual Use and Social Function
In Songye cosmogony, an Nkisi is created by a sculptor but only gains its powers when it is "charged" by the nganga (the diviner-healer) with the bishimba (a secret mixture of plant, animal, and sometimes mineral substances). Given its 28 cm dimension, this is a fetish for family or personal use (as opposed to the large communal Mankishi that protect an entire village):
Protection against sorcery: The primary function of this effigy is to act as a spiritual shield for the home. It protects the family from malevolent forces, nocturnal evil spirits (banyishi), and curses cast by witches.
Therapy and healing: The Nkisi is invoked to treat specific illnesses, ease pain, or identify the spiritual origin of a physical ailment through the diviner.
Prosperity and fertility: Kept with care on a domestic altar, the statue promotes the success of daily activities (hunting, harvests) and ensures the fertility of the women of the house, protecting the lineage.
The Songye have carved many objects: metal axe, stools, neck rests, bracelets, and axes extractors.
The parcels are shipped from Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery between 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
Indigenous object name
Protective talisman
Ethnic group/ culture
Songye
Country of Origin
DR Congo
Material
Wood / raffia
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Good condition
Sold by
