Songye - Lot 44

Songye Democratic Republic of Congo Fetish Wood, beads, horn, leather and metal Height: 29 cm Provenance : - Private collection, France, acquired circa 1980 - Galerie Nicolas Rolland, Paris, 2020 - French private collection The Songye, who once occupied a large area of Central Africa in the heart of today's Democratic Republic of Congo, are best known for their sculptures and ritual objects with profound meanings related to spirituality, healing and protection. The most famous of these objects, the nkishi, concentrates all the power of Songye art and all the beliefs of the community. While its monumental version (up to 1m high) was intended for the entire community, the smaller mankishi served a single person or family. This is the case of our example, which concentrates the strong, powerful aesthetics typical of large-scale Songye statuary, notably in the angular work on the face, which is balanced by the more massive volume of the body. This balance, together with the magical attributes or bishimba that adorn this fetish, testify to its great interest and effectiveness in protection and healing rituals.