Bakongo - Nkisi power figure - Bakongo - DR Congo

Exceptional collection of nkisi (minkisi) statuary - BAKONGO POWER

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

The coherence of the collection, the diversity of silhouettes, and the richness of the sculptural treatments make for a presentation that is particularly evocative of the ritual arts of the Kongo cultural area.

The figures are distinguished by their expressive faces, abdominal cavities, ligatures, vegetal fibers, textiles, feathers, and other applied 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 also 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) introduced bilongo—the substances placed in cavities of the body to concentrate power tied notably to protection, healing, mediation, or maintaining social order. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

This ensemble offers a particularly appealing panorama of one of the major sculptural repertoires of central Africa.

Each statuette will be offered individually at auction, marking its first public sale 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 sales house specializes in African art and ethnography. A reference seller on Catawiki for over 8 years, we enjoy a solid reputation and a track record of several hundred sales with an almost 100% satisfaction rate.

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

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

Shipping guaranteed within 24 hours, with careful packing, insurance, and tracking.
Contact 7 days a week: we remain available for any questions or requests for further information.