Tabwa Statue From Congo

Large old TABWA statue from The Democratic Republic of the Congo heavy wood with a crusty and shiny patina measuring 65cm high plus a wooden base delivered with Recognizable by its typical descending headdress in the back sculpted with diamonds in semi-relief A necklace encloses the neck from which two shells hang Numerous scarifications on the face and arms Cracked and cracked wood on the left foot Traces of repeated libations and strong shiny patinas on the extremities caused by the long ritual use it has undergone This sculpture is really very close to that of the Baudouin collection of grunne reproduced in the Mazenod page 312 under number 207 Possible that it is the same sculptor The Tabwa or Batabwa live in the south-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, near Lake Tanganyika. Their art is marked by their practice of ancestor worship. They mainly carve statues in the likeness of ancestors. The slightly crusty patina in places testifies to a ritual use of the piece, as do the smooth and shiny areas. The role of ancestor statues among the Tabwa is to ensure the authority of the chief, just like among the neighboring Luba . They are male or female, generally measure between 20 and 70 cm, standing, legs bent on circular bases, with numerous scarifications In Trésors d'Afrique / Tervuren, page 370, we learn that the position of the hands on both sides another of the navel underlines the relationship between the holders of the figurines and their predecessors. They will represent revered ancestors, founders of clans. On some pieces, the many scarificatory motifs are linked to important aspects of the Tabwa cosmogony. The skin was a living medium for conveying important messages about a person's identity and powers. Origin; Maud and René GARCIA collection free shipping worldwide