Figure - Wood - Luba - Congo DRC

This female anthropomorphic figure ( 25cm high) is from the Luba people, a Bantu-speaking group who live in south central Democratic Republic of the Congo.

A female Luba figure H= 40 cm Some insect damages.
Provenance: Frédéric Coppin.
A typical carving with hands on the belly.

For the Luba, women are on the top of the society.
This women has a 8 shaped mouth, and a black encrusted patina, and a dot on top of the head witha hole to contain a magical charge.

The wood is well oxidized attesting some age. I would say around 1950-60. Part of the round base missing due to insect damages, some chip of the wood missing on the top near the charge hole.