Mangbetu ancestor statuette, DRC - Lot 153

Mangbetu ancestor statuette, DRC The fan-shaped hairstyle of this female figure was worn by the Mangbetu: from an early age, children had their skulls compressed using raffia strips. Later, the hair was "knitted" onto strands of wicker and a headband applied to the forehead to extract the hair and produce this particular headdress, which accentuates the elongation of the head. The ancients called these ancestral figures beli, stored out of sight and comparable to those belonging to their secret nebeli society. . The notion of fecundity is magnified here by the rounded volumes. The back of the statue is deeply eroded. Desiccation cracks on the headdress. Blackish oiled patina. One foot is wider than the other. Established in the forest of northeastern Zaire, the Mangbetu kingdom expressed itself through architectural works that impressed European visitors in the 19th century. Their furniture, weapons, ornaments and statuary were imbued with a rare aesthetic quality. 35 x 10 cm