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statue of a man standing in front of a black backdropa wooden statue of a man standing next to a laptop computeran old wooden statue of a man with a cat on his headan old wooden statue of a man with a bird on his headan old wooden statue of a man with a hat on his headan image of a wooden statue of a man standing next to a lamp
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Estimate €1,500 - €2,000
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Description
KUYU Deity From Ayawa, near Dolisie (Congo). 20th century. Height: 118 cm. An IR spectroscopy dating certificate (G. Matthaes patent) from the Museo d’Arte e Scienza, Milan, no. 6AF-3694, indicates the date 1947 ± 8 years. Hardwood with a light brown patina, clay ochre and red padouk powder. The head is crowned with two horns, symbolising elephant tusks, a sign of prestige amongst the Kuyu. The neck is coiled with a python, a primordial Kuyu ancestor and symbol of eternity: through its regular shedding, the animal’s contents become its container, ad infinitum. The genitals feature a symbolic protrusion signifying power. The arms and hands are pressed against the body as a sign of authority and command. The body bears numerous scarifications (concentric circles evoking infinity, concentric semicircles, lozenges symbolising the female sex as the origin of all human life, etc.). Provenance: Pierre Redouin Collection. Bibliography: Published in *Le Souffle des Esprits*, Les Éditions de l’Amateur, Pierre & Hadrien Redouin, 2012, pp. 174–175. Description: Among the Kuyu people, puppet heads (marottes) are the most common objects. Full-body statuettes on pedestals are rarer and served as objects of prestige or protection, kept by the dignitaries of the Kébé-Kébé. The three-faced head refers to profound metaphysical concepts: - Omniscience: the deity has the ability to see in all directions simultaneously (the past, the present and the future, in the world of the living and that of the spirits). - Clan and lineage: the three faces also symbolise the continuity of generations or the union of different clans under a single spiritual authority. - Identity and duality: the fact that the faces are identical reinforces the idea of a single entity with multiple facets, a characteristic often associated with Joku, the primordial father. The snake coiled around the neck refers to the central element of Kuyu cosmogony. The physical presence of the serpent’s body on the statuette confirms its sacred nature: - The serpent is the mythical primordial ancestor. Its coiling around the neck (the passageway between the breath/voice and the body) symbolises the transmission of vital force and initiatory knowledge. - The serpent protects the head (the seat of thought) and links the spirit to the body. This also evokes the movements of the Kébé-Kébé dance, in which the puppet mimics the serpent’s undulating motion. The patterns of ritual scarification on the deity’s body replicate the actual marks borne by high-ranking initiates. Among the Kuyu, these patterns (scales, chevrons, lozenges) are called ‘snake scales’. Each motif may represent a proverb, a taboo or a historical event linked to the clan. Unlike the head sculptures, which served as puppets in the Kébé-Kébé dances, this full-length sculpture suggests a permanent role as a protective deity in a sacred hut intended to receive libations, to be consulted during judgements or important decisions.
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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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