Ancestor Figure – Wood – Mbole / Metoko – Congo

Large wooden Mbole Figure from DR Congo. Total length: 112 cm! The Mbole are know principally for their figures which tend to be characterized by their geometric features, elongated emaciated bodies, enlarged heads with heart-shaped faces, protruding mouths and crown-like coiffures.
[Jean-Baptiste Bacquart, The tribal arts of Africa, P. 144}

Mbole figures represent hanged people. They were carried on stretchers to the initiation camps where they served as social regulators. On this example, the stretchers are part of the figure and the curves of the legs and the arms bring a dynamism to an otherwise static sculpture.
The figure is in good condition with clear traces of wear and tear. Provenance: former private collection from Germany.

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