Statuette - Zande - DR Congo (No reserve price)

The Zande statuettes are traditional sculptures of the Zande people (also called Azande), present in the northern Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic.

Their production is part of a rich tradition of ritual arts linked to initiation associations, in particular the magico-religious society Mani, founded at the end of the 19th century to strengthen social cohesion and ensure members’ protection against harmful influences. The statuettes—often called “yanda” or, for the smaller forms, “nazeze”—are generally carved in wood with a dark, deep patina that attests to their prolonged ritual use.

They can depict stylized human figures, sometimes feminine, or more abstract shapes, and they are endowed with an energetic presence believed to embody the protective forces or benevolent spirits of the community.

Within the Mani society, these statuettes were displayed during divination sessions or protection rites, smeared with ritual paste, smoked, or adorned with necklaces and beads as signs of respect and recognition.

Zande sculpture is distinguished by a bold geometrization of the human figure, where the head and body are arranged in abstract forms, creating a singular plastic force that has fascinated art historians.

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