Large Songye Statue - Congo - Premier Art - 105cm - Provenance

Large statue of a Songye man (Congo) Large male effigy standing on a circular base, dressed in a raffia fabric loincloth, clutching his swollen abdomen with his hands, evoking the power of protection over the lineage. The cubic-shaped head is topped with a large horn (charged with magical components). A necklace made up of numerous teeth, placed by the sorcerer, adorns the neck, and contributes to the power of attraction of the fetish. Two small masks are attached to the statue in the lower part. On the back a large skin of unknown origin. Hardwood with brown patina. Provenance: collected in the 1950s by a man named Kibabi and sold in the 1970s to a Belgian painter then through descent. 105cm tall! The large Songyé statues, like this one, were intended to serve an entire community, and were linked to procreation, protection against illness, witchcraft, war, and the preservation of claims territorial. According to Hersak (1986), they are distinguished from other Songyé magical objects because they are instruments allowing interaction with superior spirits associated with ancestors. Communities could thus invoke the spirits of their ancestors using these effigies. This is why these sculptures, generally male, present the characteristic attributes of chiefs, warriors or hunters, three social ranks that are particularly respected and essential to the survival of the community. The power of these figures, invariably wielded by an experienced sorcerer, was feared and they had to be handled with care.