Vili figure, Nkisi, Bakongo, Democratic Republic... Lot 44

Vili figure, Nkisi, Bakongo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Wood, upholstery nails H. 24 cm Vili figure, Nkisi, Bakongo, Democratic Republic of the Congo H. 9 1/2 in Provenance: According to the previous owner, provenance Pierre Langlois Bibliography: Raoul Lehuart, L'Art Bakongo, Les centers de style, 1989, Arts d'Afrique Noire, Arnouville. Crowned with a traditional hairstyle, the face presents a beautiful expressiveness. The eyes are set with shards of glass, the ears carefully sculpted. The mouth with its fleshy lips opens to reveal small teeth. The body is powerful and massive. The ventral and dorsal surfaces, rectangular in shape, were intended to receive the charge that gives the object its magical function. The lower part of the body has a rounded buttock, short legs and large feet firmly anchored on a small base.