Mbulenga - Bena Lulua - DR Congo (No reserve price)
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Description from the seller
FIGURE MBULENGA – BENA LULUA / LULUWA – DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
A mbulenga figure in carved wood with a glossy dark brown patina, characterized by a long cylindrical neck, a significant head and a remarkable scarification pattern of geometric and curvilinear motifs covering the forehead, the nasal ridge, the sub-orbital regions, and the cheeks.
The folded arms frame a singular hypertrophied umbilical excrescence, sculpted in the very continuity of the torso and developed vertically on the abdomen. In Luluwa iconography, the prominent navel is notably associated with fertility as well as the bond linking the ancestors to their descendants and the continuity of generations. The placement of the hands on either side of this form emphasizes here all its symbolic importance.
The mbulenga figures, linked to notions of beauty, kindness and good fortune, belong to the vast universe of Luluwa protective sculptures, where anatomical perfection and scarifications jointly contribute to the symbolic effectiveness of the work.
Beautiful old patina, dark brown with warm tones.
Democratic Republic of the Congo, region of Kasai.
H. 25 cm – L. 9 cm – D. 8 cm
FIGURE MBULENGA – BENA LULUA / LULUWA – DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
A mbulenga figure in carved wood with a glossy dark brown patina, characterized by a long cylindrical neck, a significant head and a remarkable scarification pattern of geometric and curvilinear motifs covering the forehead, the nasal ridge, the sub-orbital regions, and the cheeks.
The folded arms frame a singular hypertrophied umbilical excrescence, sculpted in the very continuity of the torso and developed vertically on the abdomen. In Luluwa iconography, the prominent navel is notably associated with fertility as well as the bond linking the ancestors to their descendants and the continuity of generations. The placement of the hands on either side of this form emphasizes here all its symbolic importance.
The mbulenga figures, linked to notions of beauty, kindness and good fortune, belong to the vast universe of Luluwa protective sculptures, where anatomical perfection and scarifications jointly contribute to the symbolic effectiveness of the work.
Beautiful old patina, dark brown with warm tones.
Democratic Republic of the Congo, region of Kasai.
H. 25 cm – L. 9 cm – D. 8 cm
Details
Indigenous object name
Mbulenga
Number of objects
1
Ethnic group/ culture
Bena Lulua
Country of Origin
DR Congo
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
Yes
Condition
Excellent condition
Height
25 cm
Width
9 cm
Depth
8 cm
Provenance
Private collection
Authenticity
Original/official
