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an old wooden statue of a man sitting on a black backgrounda wooden statue of a woman smoking a cigarette on a black backgrounda wooden statue of a woman holding a baby in her armsa wooden statue of a woman sitting on a black backgrounda wooden statue of a woman smoking a cigarette on a black backgrounda close up of a wooden statue with a black backgroundan old wooden statue of a man with a hat on his heada wooden statue of a man sitting on a black backgrounda wooden statue of a man sitting on a black backgroundan old wooden statue of a man with a beard and a hatan old wooden statue of a man with a turban on his heada wooden statue of a woman with a headdress on her head
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53 - TÉKÉ Ancestor statuette
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Estimate €1,500 - €2,000
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Description
TÉKÉ Ancestor statuette 20th century. Height: 62 cm. An IR spectroscopy dating certificate (G. Matthaes patent) from the Museo d’Arte e Scienza, Milan, no. 6AF-3686, indicates the date as 1935 ± 8 years. Medium-weight wood with a dark brown patina. Brass nails for the eyes and forehead. The breasts are outlined by a triple grid-patterned circle. The beard, a symbol of wisdom and authority, is slightly trapezoidal. The forehead is domed, the mouth protruding. The central forehead area is covered with a grid-patterned tattoo distinctive of membership of a specific human group. The forehead, temples and cheeks are covered with fine, closely spaced vertical scarifications (mabina) that signify identity. The figure’s headdress, helmet-shaped with a wide, plaited cape falling down the nape of the neck, is reminiscent of the traditional headdress of Teke chiefs. The neck is powerful. The abdominal area is prominent (the seat of power) and sculpted in such a way as to accommodate a mixture of sacred substances (ritual earth, plants, ancestral bones or relics of a powerful figure). Provenance: Pierre Redouin Collection. Bibliography: Published in *Le Souffle des Esprits*, Les Éditions de l’Amateur, Pierre & Hadrien Redouin, 2012, p. 166. Description: This statuette, known as a ‘butti’, representing an ancestor and exuding a strong sense of solemnity, wisdom and serenity, was a complex object of personal and familial power. It brings to mind the Teke proverb recounted by François Neyt: ‘Wisdom is swallowed: wisdom lies in the belly’. Without this magical power, the statuette is merely a piece of wood; with it, it becomes the living spirit of an ancestor. The arms are positioned at right angles along the body, as is typical in Teke sculpture. This characteristic is also found among other ethnic groups, notably the Tsogo, the Mbédè, the Bembé and the Yansi. The muscles of the forearms are well defined and emphasise the strength of the ancestor depicted. Such a statuette served as a tool for social and spiritual mediation. It protected the family against illness, curses and enemies. It was invoked to ensure success in hunting, trade or childbirth. It could also serve as a witness during oaths or commercial agreements. Breaking such an agreement in the presence of the butti would result in immediate punishment from the ancestor. It was kept by the head of the family (nguibi) in a special hut and watched over the entire community.
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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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