Bakongo - Nkisi fetish figure - Bakongo - DR Congo

Continuation and conclusion of our exceptional collection of nkisi (minkisi) statuettes - BAKONGO POWER

This collection brings together a remarkable corpus of figurines inspired by the Kongo tradition (Bakongo).

The coherence of the set, the diversity of silhouettes, and the richness of the sculptural treatments make it a particularly evocative presentation of the ritual arts of the Kongo cultural area.

The figures stand out for their expressive faces, abdominal cavities, bindings, plant fibers, textiles, feathers, and other attached elements. These features refer to the plastic vocabulary of minkisi (singular: nkisi), sculptures intended to embody a spiritual force or a specific function within Kongo societies. The term nkisi moreover transcends the Western notion of a “fetish.” (Smithsonian National Museum of African Art)

In Kongo tradition, the sculptor shaped the figure before the nganga (ritual specialist) inserted the bilongo into its body cavities to concentrate a power linked notably to protection, healing, mediation, or maintenance of social order. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

This collection offers a particularly compelling panorama of one of the major sculptural repertoires of Central Africa.

Each statuette will be offered individually at auction, marking its first public selling presentation, thus giving collectors the opportunity to acquire a work within a set of remarkable aesthetic and iconographic coherence.

Presentation of our expert house

Based in Belgium, our expert and selling house specializes in African and ethnographic art. A leading seller on Catawiki for over 8 years, we enjoy a solid reputation and a history of several hundred sales with an almost 100% satisfaction rate.

We regularly support liquidations, successions, and dispersals of collections, in collaboration with private individuals and families in Belgium and neighboring countries. Our approach is rigorous, transparent, and accessible, with many sales offered without a reserve price.

Certain pieces that have passed through our hands have joined international private collections and, for some, museum institutions.

Shipping ensured within 24 hours, with careful packaging, insurance, and tracking. 24/7 contact: we remain available for any questions or requests for further information.