Bakongo - Nkisi fetish figure - Bakongo - DR Congo

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

This set gathers a remarkable corpus of statues inspired by the Kongo tradition (Bakongo).

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

The figures stand out for their expressive faces, abdominal cavities, bindings, vegetal fibers, textiles, feathers and other attached elements. These characteristics reference 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 goes beyond the Western notion of “fetish.” (Smithsonian National Museum of African Art)

In Kongo tradition, the sculptor fashioned the figure before the nganga (ritual specialist) inserted the bilongo, substances placed in bodily cavities to concentrate a power linked in particular to protection, healing, mediation or maintaining social order. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

This ensemble offers a particularly seductive panorama of one of the major sculptural repertoires of Central Africa.

Each statuette will be offered at auction individually, marking its first public sale presentation, thereby giving collectors the opportunity to acquire a work within a remarkably coherent aesthetic and iconographic set.

Repair at the level of an arm

Presentation of our appraisal house

Based in Belgium, our appraisal and sales house specializes in African art and ethnography. A leading seller on Catawiki for over 8 years, we enjoy a solid reputation and a track record of several hundred sales with a satisfaction rate virtually at 100%.

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

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

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