Bakongo - Nkisi fetish figure - Bakongo - DR Congo

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

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

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

The figures stand out for their expressive faces, abdominal cavities, ligatures, plant fibers, textiles, feathers and other attached elements.
These features refer to the plastic vocabulary of minkisi (singular: nkisi), sculptures destined to embody a spiritual force or a particular function within Kongo societies.
The term nkisi goes beyond the Western notion of "fetish." (Smithsonian National Museum of African Art)

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

This set 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, thus giving collectors the opportunity to acquire a work within a remarkably cohesive aesthetic and iconographic ensemble.

Presentation of our house of expertise

Based in Belgium, our house of expertise and sale specializes in African and ethnographic art. A leading seller on Catawiki for over 8 years, we enjoy a solid reputation and a history of several hundred sales with almost 100% customer satisfaction.

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 sales often offered without reserve prices.

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 additional information.