1 / 10
an old wooden statue of a man sitting on a black backgrounda wooden statue of a man sitting on a black backgroundan image of a wooden statue of a man with a bird on his shoulderan image of a wooden statue of a man holding a teddy beara wooden statue of a man with a bald head and a beardan image of a close up of a statue of a persona wooden statue of a man with a baby in his armsan old statue of a man holding a baby on a black backgroundan old wooden sculpture of a man ' s head on a black backgrounda close up of a wooden sculpture of a man ' s face
AGUTTES

Estimate €300 - €500
Sale commission
Description
NKODIA Nkodia statuette (a variant of the nkisi statuettes) from Yombe (Kongo). 20th century. Height: 49 cm. Medium-weight wood. The left-hand side of the figure is blue, the right-hand side red; the two are separated by a white line running vertically down the figure. How can one fail to see in this unusual juxtaposition of the colours of the French flag an allusion to the power of the coloniser, thus transferred to the statuette to reinforce the prominent abdominal mirror and male genitalia? The figure is depicted with one hand resting on the hip and the other on the knee, turning his head to one side. The ribs are visible and no doubt evoke a condition known as lubanzi (the ribs) or some other form of pneumonia. The face is finely sculpted. The two upper teeth and the protruding tongue are clearly visible in the slightly parted mouth. Provenance: Pierre Redouin Collection. Description: The protruding tongue is a specific symbol. For the Kongo, the tongue is the instrument of sacred speech. When it emerges from the mouth, it symbolises a word that ‘comes out’ to take effect in the real world. This indicates that the statue witnessed an oath or a contract. The protruding tongue signifies that the promise has been made and is now irrevocable. If the oath is broken, the statue unleashes its power against the perjurer. The Nkodia statuette expresses a brutal force. Its protective aggression serves as a sign of intimidation towards sorcerers (ndoki) and enemies. The protruding tongue shows that the spirit is angry or in a state of constant alert to protect its owner. It symbolises the inner heat and dynamism of spiritual work. In certain healing contexts, the tongue represents the evil that one seeks to extract from the patient’s body. The statue ‘draws’ the illness out of the body to take it upon itself or neutralise it.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
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
You may also like