Among the Vili-Kongo people, nkisi play a central role in daily life. These magical-religious statues, used for divination, protection, or curse, are undoubtedly one of the most emblematic forms of art in sub-Saharan Africa today. This anthropomorphic figure is standing, with the right arm raised. Executed in a brutalist style, the abdomen of this statuette once carried a magical charge that has since disappeared. The nuances of the patina, crusty in places, attest to the numerous manipulations undergone by this work, which constitutes a unique example of Kongo-Vili art. Provenance Peter Loebarth.