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Kongo Nkisi Nkondi Power Figure, Democratic Republic of the Congo / Congo #
$ 6,800.00 $ 3,400.00
- Nkisi Nkondi Figurine, Congo #
- Special, rare and old Nkisi Nkondi, from the area around the lower Congo river in former Belgian Congo.
- There are several aspects that indicate the advanced age of this figurine. The foot shows that the piece is from around 1920 (1910-1940). The beautiful dark patina is also a characteristic of a piece from that period. The iron is hand forged, the eyes are made of glass.
- A Nkisi is a object inhabited by a spirit. A Nkisi Nkondi (hunter) is considered the most powerful subtype of the Nkisi figures. Villagers turn to Nkisi Nkondis to identify unknown culprits and in some cases to kill them. In order to incite the nkondi to action, nganga fortune tellers must invoke and provoke the spirit that resides in the figure. Gunpowder is first exploded in front of the figure to annoy it and spur action. Nails and metal blades are then hammered into the nkondi to make the spirit angry at the villager's enemy. The reflective glass in the eyes allows the Nkisi Nkondi to see into the spirit world and spy on its prey. The effect of the use of the Nkisi Nkondi took place via the nganga fortune teller.
- Measurementes: 72 cm high, 28 cm wide and 24 cm deep.
- Condition: There has been a small restoration to the right foot. Some nails and blades are missing.
- Provenance: This Nkisi Nkondi comes from the estate and collection of Mr. Mbehou from Cameroon (see last photo), who played an important role in the trade of West African art with well-known dealers such as Claude Verité and Jean Pierre Lamour. Various pieces from this collection found their way to major museums, including the Louvre and the Barbier-Mueller museum.
- This Nkisi Nkondi can also be seen in a television recording / film, where it functions as a museum piece. It is an episode of the detective Van Der Valk that can be seen in 2023.
- Origin is Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly the Republic of Zaire