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233
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Standing ancestor with a gentle, interior expression.
See original version (French)
233
-
Standing ancestor with a gentle, interior expression.
See original version (French)
Estimate €800 - €1,200
Voluntary lot
Description
Standing ancestor
with a gentle, interior expression.
Wood, old brown patina, wear marks, cotton skirt, cracks.
Hemba, Democratic Republic of Congo.
46 x 18.5 x 11 cm
The Hemba, who live in the south-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, have developed ancestor statuary linked to the cult of the singiti, memorial figures embodying lineage chiefs who have disappeared. Kept by initiated guardians, these sculptures were used to transmit memory and legitimise authority. The calm treatment of the face, imbued with interiority and restraint, helps to evoke an idealised ancestor, the guarantor of the group's continuity.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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