Phemba Maternity - Bakongo - DR Congo (No reserve price)

The representation of motherhood in Bakongo statuary from the northwest of the Democratic Republic of Congo and from Angola, often embodied by Minkisi figures or ancestor statues, goes beyond simple biological celebration to inscribe itself in a complex theology of vital continuity. For the Bakongo, the mother is not only one who gives life, but the essential bridge between the world of the living (Nza) and that of the ancestors (Kivundu). A sculpture depicting a mother nursing or holding a child symbolizes the transmission of vital force (ngolo) and the perpetuation of the lineage, a sine qua non condition for social survival.

These works often serve as ritual supports to invoke the protection of the ancestors over offspring, ensuring that the child inherits not only blood but also the spiritual power of their forebears. The mother’s posture, often solemn and frontal, reflects the dignity and sacred responsibility of maintaining cosmic balance. In Bakongo culture, where death is but a passage to another state of existence, motherhood is the act that ensures the cycle never breaks. Thus, the statue of motherhood acts as a guarantor of social and spiritual order, reminding us that every birth is a victory over forgetting and a reaffirmation of the clan’s unity in the face of chaotic forces.

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

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

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