OLD AFRICAN BUSHOONG BAKUBA KUBA PORTRAIT COLONIAL DIVINATION FIGURE DRC CONGO

Description

An Important Kuba Colonial Divination Figure – Democratic Republic of Congo
ca Early 20th Century
Wood, patina
Height 20.3cm (8in) with custom mount
PROVENANCE:
Herbert Harris Collection, New York City, NY
Frances Rainer Collection, Sarasota, FL; by descent from the above
Michael Cichon (Cichon Tribal Arts), Brandenton, FL
*Documentation on file and can accompany the artwork for historical conservation purposes.
Description: Standing portrait figure in supplication and wearing European style coiffure, the large oval-shaped head with naturalistic features and deeply recessed rectangular fetish cavity; dark brown patina.
Curatorial Remarks: Great condition, displaying minor age cracks (stable). Surface wear commensurate with age and use.
According to Dr. Christopher Roy, the Kuba peoples migrated during the 16th century from the north to their current location along the Sankuru River. Europeans first reached the area in 1884, but the Kuba, being relatively isolated, were not as affected by the slave trade as many of the other peoples in the area. At one time the Kuba had a religion based on ancestor worship, but this seems to have died out, although divination is still practiced in order to discover causes of evil (Roy, Christopher, 2007). British Museum curator Christopher Spring notes the Kuba Bushoong dynasty was known to display "wooden portraits figures in the royal shrine with other sculptures referred to as 'royal charms', upon which the king's magical powers rested" (Spring, 2001). Since these statues were almost entirely portraits of former rulers (ndop), the present figure is exceptionally rare and held special significance among the Kuba. Although the figure depicts an unidentified evangelist, its true purpose was pagan. This portrait figure functioned as a divination instrument and is confirmed by the hollow cavity behind the head where ritual paraphernalia would have been inserted. Posing a threat to traditional Kuba beliefs, its true objective was perceived as an early attempt to safeguard against the spread of Christianity.
Cf. Zemanek-Münster,
Tribal Art Objects From the Estate of the Nerlich Collection
, Wuerzburg, Germany, January 31, 2015, Lot 151 and Bonhams,
African and Oceanic Art
, Sale 24818, Los Angeles, May 22, 2018, Lot 392 (
EST 15,000—25,000 USD
) for similar examples.
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