Figure - Mbangu - Pende - DR Congo (No reserve price)

Mbangu-statuette (illness figure), Pende, Kongo.

The figure is recognizable by a contrast of red (white) and black that halves the face, and by an overall distortion of facial features, particularly the twisted nose and the twisted mouth. The color white, a symbol for the spirits of the dead, in this case stands for the hope of healing from illnesses. The dark pigment stands for the disease that haunts one for a lifetime. The combination of black, red and white symbolizes this struggle.