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BLANCHET & Associés
145
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Kozo Kongo fetish, Democratic Republic of Congo, wood, nail,…
See original version (French)
145
-
Kozo Kongo fetish, Democratic Republic of Congo, wood, nail,…
See original version (French)
Estimate €600 - €800
Voluntary lot
Description
Kozo Kongo fetish, Democratic Republic of Congo, wood, nail, glass, H.20cmxW.38cm. In addition to the large number of anthropomorphic statues and statuettes, the various groups that make up the Kongo culture also produced animal sculptures. Dogs have always had a prominent place in this rather limited sculptural bestiary, as they traditionally acted as intermediaries between the world of the living and that of the dead. According to certain Kongo stories, to reach the world of the ancestors, you had to pass through a strange village inhabited only by dogs. These domestic animals, whose sense of smell and hearing enable them to see and detect things that humans cannot, have naturally acquired an important role in Kongo art and mythology. Since the very essence of the kozo fetish (or nkisi) was to find and strike harmful people guilty of reprehensible acts, foremost among whom were Bandoki sorcerers, it is understandable that it took on the appearance of a hunting dog capable of relentlessly stalking and catching its prey. While some kozo are single-headed, most have a distinctive double head, symbolising their vigilance and effectiveness. The teeth of dangerous animals are often added to the magic charge on the back, further underlining the fetish's ferocious effectiveness.
See original version (French)
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Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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