Kongo Nkisi Nkondi dog - DR Congo (No reserve price)

Chien Kongo Nkisi Nkonde – Figure of Power – Democratic Republic of the Congo

Imposing and expressive Kongo zoomorphic Nkisi Nkonde figure, representing a dog with two opposing heads. Carved in wood, the piece is laden with numerous nails, blades, and metal elements embedded in the body, characteristic of the iconography of minkisi power figures in the Kongo world.

In Kongo tradition, the dog holds a special symbolic place. Capable of moving within the human environment while associated with hunting and the invisible world, it can be viewed as an intermediary between the living and the spirits. The two-headed representation, looking in opposite directions, reinforces this idea of vigilance and the ability to watch over several spaces.

Nkisi Nkonde were objects endowed with a ritual function. They could intervene in practices related to protection, healing, oaths, conflict resolution, or the pursuit of justice. The metal elements were added during various ritual interventions and materialized, in particular, commitments or the activation of the power attributed to the object.

This exemplar presents a particularly spectacular construction: a massive body resting on four legs, two long heads with muzzles adorned with geometric motifs, numerous metal insertions on the back, and a beautiful nuanced brown patina, with wear, irregularities, and traces of time.

A piece with a very strong sculptural presence, representative of the world of Kongo power objects