작품 상세

A POWERFUL SONGYE FIGURE FOR PROTECTION, REPUBLIC OF CONGO 20TH CENTURY Carved in dark hardwood with a rich, worn surface patina, the figure is depicted seated with legs bent and arms resting forward. The head is surmounted by a tall, tapering crest, rising vertically from the crown. The face is powerfully modelled with a projecting mouth, inset cowrie-shell eyes, and applied metal elements, including small conical studs and a textured metal mask-like overlay extending across the nose and cheeks. A strand of blue glass beads encircles the neck, and a textile skirt of coarse woven fibre is tied around the waist, with pronounced fraying and age wear. The surface displays extensive handling wear, small losses, and drying fissures throughout, consistent with age and use. The underside is flat and circular, with radiating age cracks and pronounced wear to the base. Protective figures of this type were produced by Songye communities in the Republic of Congo for use in ritual contexts. Such sculptures were associated with the containment and activation of spiritual forces, serving as mediating objects within systems of protection, healing, and social regulation. Measurements: Height: 62 cm Provenance: Property of a Single Owner French Collection formed in the late 1990s; thence by descent