Protective talisman - Kongo / Bakongo - DR Congo
05
days
20
hours
53
minutes
54
seconds
Starting bid
€ 1
Reserve price not met
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Selected by Julien Gauthier
A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
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Description from the seller
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo)
Kongo
Wood, patina of use.
Height: 200mm
Width: 60mm
Depth: 75mm
Fine crack at the base
This wooden anthropomorphic sculpture loaded with ritual substances is a major traditional power object of Kongo culture.
1. Geographic and cultural origin
The Kongo people (Bakongo): This cultural and linguistic entity is historically established in a vast region of Central Africa that today includes the western part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Republic of the Congo, the southern Gabon, and the northern Angola.
An art of the invisible: Kongo statuary is world-renowned for its power figures, commonly called Nkisi (plural Mankisi). Unlike other forms of African art that are more contemplative, the Nkisi is designed as a therapeutic, legal, and active defensive tool.
2. Ritual use and spiritual function
An Nkisi is not a simple effigy, but the receptacle of a spiritual entity or an ancestor, activated and manipulated by a ritual specialist, the Nganga (the diviner-healer).
The magical charge (Bilongo): The spiritual power of the statue resides not only in the carved wood, but in the magical substances introduced by the Nganga. These are housed in specific cavities, most often in the abdomen or the top of the skull. These ritual materials (sacred soils, herbs, metal fragments, claws or resins) confer the object its active virtues.
Protection and justice: Small to medium-sized pieces like this typically serve as fetishes for individual or family protection. They are used to heal physical ailments, conjure away misfortune, repel sorcery attacks, or guarantee the success of an enterprise.
View into the world of spirits: The eyes of the figurine are inlaid with bright white materials (often tinware, imported porcelain, or shell fragments). This whiteness symbolizes clairvoyance and the entity’s ability to see beyond the visible world, directly into the realm of the dead (Mpemba) to detect hidden threats.
3. Morphological and stylistic characteristics
The piece fits perfectly within the codes of Kongo devotion statuary:
A dynamic and alert stance: The figure stands on bent, massive legs, a sign of stability and strength. The mouth is often carved open, half-open, or screaming, symbolizing active speech, the utterance of judgments, or the breath of life projected by the Nganga.
The accumulation of materials: Beyond wood, the object integrates heterogeneous elements. The head is covered with a thick layer of resin or dark organic matter acting as a protective dome. The waist is girded with a cord or belt of braided plant fibers, from which is sometimes suspended a claw, a horn, or a power instrument.
The patina of use: The surface of the wood shows an oily, dark patina, bearing witness to the piece’s age and the repeated anointing of ritual substances during therapeutic consultations.
The packages are shipped from Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery between 1 to 3 days in France with Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery in the rest of Europe and worldwide with Colissimo International.
We speak english
Mask african art African mask art arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
statue african art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane African mask art
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 TranslateDemocratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo)
Kongo
Wood, patina of use.
Height: 200mm
Width: 60mm
Depth: 75mm
Fine crack at the base
This wooden anthropomorphic sculpture loaded with ritual substances is a major traditional power object of Kongo culture.
1. Geographic and cultural origin
The Kongo people (Bakongo): This cultural and linguistic entity is historically established in a vast region of Central Africa that today includes the western part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Republic of the Congo, the southern Gabon, and the northern Angola.
An art of the invisible: Kongo statuary is world-renowned for its power figures, commonly called Nkisi (plural Mankisi). Unlike other forms of African art that are more contemplative, the Nkisi is designed as a therapeutic, legal, and active defensive tool.
2. Ritual use and spiritual function
An Nkisi is not a simple effigy, but the receptacle of a spiritual entity or an ancestor, activated and manipulated by a ritual specialist, the Nganga (the diviner-healer).
The magical charge (Bilongo): The spiritual power of the statue resides not only in the carved wood, but in the magical substances introduced by the Nganga. These are housed in specific cavities, most often in the abdomen or the top of the skull. These ritual materials (sacred soils, herbs, metal fragments, claws or resins) confer the object its active virtues.
Protection and justice: Small to medium-sized pieces like this typically serve as fetishes for individual or family protection. They are used to heal physical ailments, conjure away misfortune, repel sorcery attacks, or guarantee the success of an enterprise.
View into the world of spirits: The eyes of the figurine are inlaid with bright white materials (often tinware, imported porcelain, or shell fragments). This whiteness symbolizes clairvoyance and the entity’s ability to see beyond the visible world, directly into the realm of the dead (Mpemba) to detect hidden threats.
3. Morphological and stylistic characteristics
The piece fits perfectly within the codes of Kongo devotion statuary:
A dynamic and alert stance: The figure stands on bent, massive legs, a sign of stability and strength. The mouth is often carved open, half-open, or screaming, symbolizing active speech, the utterance of judgments, or the breath of life projected by the Nganga.
The accumulation of materials: Beyond wood, the object integrates heterogeneous elements. The head is covered with a thick layer of resin or dark organic matter acting as a protective dome. The waist is girded with a cord or belt of braided plant fibers, from which is sometimes suspended a claw, a horn, or a power instrument.
The patina of use: The surface of the wood shows an oily, dark patina, bearing witness to the piece’s age and the repeated anointing of ritual substances during therapeutic consultations.
The packages are shipped from Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery between 1 to 3 days in France with Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery in the rest of Europe and worldwide with Colissimo International.
We speak english
Mask african art African mask art arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
statue african art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane African mask art
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
Kongo / Bakongo
Country of Origin
DR Congo
Material
Wood / glass / crusty patina
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Good condition
Sold by
