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.africaDirect { background: #fff; } .africaDirect td.logo { padding: 0 10px; background: #000; } .description { font: normal 14px serif; margin: 0 auto; width: 500px; color: #000; text-align: left; } .africaDirect a { font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; color: #55ae3a; } Title: Songye power figure, Female, Nkisi, DRCongo, Africa Type of Object: Carving, statue. Ethnic Group: Songye Country of Origin: Democratic Republic of Congo Materials: Wood, pigment, horn, bead, vegetal fibers Approximate Age: second half of the Twentieth Century Dimensions: Height is 13 inches Overall Condition: Good Damage, Repair: Minor cracks in places Additional Information: This Songye figure is carved in classic Songye style of cubist proportions and strong lines and wearing a raffia skirt around the waist and a beaded necklace. This figure has a strongly defined body and the well-known Songye jutting chin and geometric nose with the eyes and brows sculpturally prominent. Many groups in the greater Congo area, and elsewhere, use art to meet the contingencies of everyday life through the activities of the local priest or diviner known as the Nganga. These individuals of great spiritual strength and inductive abilities use the rituals, secret formulae and sculptures to heal and prevent the activities of malevolent forces. Sculpture like this are known as Nkishi and often serve to divine the future, control one s destiny, and forestall evil-doers or to work magic and most importantly to gain the attention of the spirit world. Among the Songye and other Bantu language speakers, sculpture such as this Nkishi serves as the contact point between the spirits and the Nganga, it is where the ritual activity of the diviner meets spiritual presence. This figure has a prominent belly instead of an opening in the stomach which would often have magical material known as bishimba placed in it to give the figure its powers. The age of the object can be seen in the wear of the surface through long use and the accumulation of decorative red powders on the figure. This meduim figure were probably used for familly or individual shrine. Though considered to be a medium sculpture this is an impressive and well carved example of Songye art . Recommended Reading: Dunja Hersak, SONGYE MASKS AND SCULPTURE FIGURES**033575** All content, including pictures, Copyright Africa Direct Inc., 2006 Add Us To Your Favorite Sellers! Please visit our About Us page. SquareTrade © AP6.0 PesaMember
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