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a close up of a statue of a person holding a clocka wooden statue of a man with a hat on his heada wooden statue of a man with a hat on his heada wooden statue of a man with a hat on his heada wooden statue of a man with a light in his handstatue of a man with a black headband and a black backgrounda close up of a statue of a man with a light on his head
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Estimate €800 - €1,000
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Description
NKISI/VILI Yombe/Vili nkisi statuette (Kongo). 20th century. Height: 45 cm. An IR spectroscopy dating certificate (G. Matthaes patent) from the Museo d’Arte e Scienza, Milan, no. 8AO-8231, indicates a date of 1950 ± 6 years. Heavy wood. The head is light brown in colour and the rest of the body is dark, with rope, fabric and seeds. The headdress is held in place by a fine raffia cord. The face is finely carved, notably featuring distinctly marked and highly decorative brow ridges. The ears, nose and lips are finely carved. The body is covered with dark seeds fixed in place by a dark resin. It features a ventral mirror. The toenails are clearly defined. This fetish conveys a sense of benevolence. The profusion of seeds forming its torso is intended to bring wealth and prosperity. The male genitalia are emphasised to reinforce the statuette’s fertility powers. The head is oversized. It reveals glass eyes endowed with divinatory powers. The fixed gaze seems to scrutinise the afterlife in a timeless manner. Provenance: Pierre Redouin Collection.
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About the sale The Breath of the Spirits: The Collection of Pierre Redouin and Others
Auction location
Auction time 09/24/2026 at 2:30 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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