Kuba/Bakongo statuette, DRC Embodiment of the king in Africa - Lot 20

Kuba/Bakongo statuette, DRC Embodiment of the king in African sculpture. Of divine origin for his subjects, the king is depicted sitting cross-legged on the royal platform, unable to touch the ground. As head of both the kingdom and the Bushoong chieftaincy, "nyim", he was attributed with supernatural abilities derived from witchcraft or the ancestors. He ensured his subjects' survival, whether through harvests, rain or the birth of children. However, these magical attributes were not hereditary. Light brown satin patina.23 x 8 cm Cracking. Kuba society was highly organized and hierarchical, with a king or nyim at its center, inspiring the statuary of the ethnic group. He was considered to be of divine origin. The Kuba are renowned for the refinement of the prestige objects created for members of the highest ranks of their society.