Ndop Bushoong Kuba effigy, DRC - Lot 111

Ndop Bushoong Kuba effigy, DRC Embodiment of the king in African Kuba 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", supernatural abilities derived from witchcraft or the ancestors were attributed to him. He ensured his subjects' survival, whether through harvests, rain or the birth of children. However, these magical attributes were not hereditary. Brown satin patina 21 x 7 cm During the last days of the king's life, the commemorative statue was placed at his bedside to capture his vital energy, as the object would outlive him. According to Cornet (1982), these statues were intended for the sovereign's widows, as after the funeral, the ndop was installed in the harem. Once the successor to the throne had been chosen, he or she would isolate himself or herself with the statue in order to draw on its accumulated energy and, in turn, pass it on to his or her subjects.