African Arts Gallery

Belgian collection of African art
This African statue, similar to the Ndop sovereigns but in a reduced version, represents a notable of the Kuba court, perhaps a wife or an ancestor of royal blood, kneeling. The scarified patterns in relief on his face are reminiscent of the designs decorating certain Kuba masks, associated with the mythology of the group and used during funeral dances for deceased initiates. This piece was acquired in a gallery in 1980.
The caramel-colored patina is lustrous. However, we note the absence of one of the feet. A hole on the back could have ritual significance.
The Kuba, established between the Sankuru and Kasaï rivers, are made up of several tribes such as the Bushoong, Ngeendé, Binji, Wongo, Kété, etc. Each of these tribes produced a variety of sculptures related to royalty, including statues, prestige objects, and masks decorated with geometric designs.
The Ndop statues, representing kings seated cross-legged on the royal dais, were carved from termite-resistant wood. These kings, of divine origin, could not touch the ground. The "nyim", head of the Bushoong kingdom and chiefdom, was attributed with supernatural abilities linked to witchcraft or ancestors, and ensured the sustainability of his subjects, notably through harvests, rain or birth. children.