HEMBA, Democratic Republic of the Congo. - Lot 353

HEMBA, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Male ancestor figure Wood with a brown patina, blackish scabs, signs of wear. H.: 79 cm Provenance: According to a certificate from the Museum of Traditional Arts and Folklore of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, issued by Patrick Claes on August 16, 2020, this figure is believed to originate from the Bena Nkuvu group in the Kongolo territory (Tanganyika Province). The certificate refers to a former Belgian collection; the piece was brought back from the Belgian Congo in 1952 by Mr. Van Kerckhoven after he acquired it from the Bena Nkuvu chiefdom. The Hemba people primarily inhabit the Kongolo region, in what is now Tanganyika Province. Ancestor sculptures served as vehicles for lineage memory, intended to perpetuate the memory of founders and prominent figures. With their frontal pose, introspective expression, and balance between geometric simplification and observation of the human form, Hemba figures rank among the most celebrated achievements of Central African sculpture.