Kongo/Vili, Bas-Congo, Democratic Republic of... Lot 5

Kongo/Vili, Bas-Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, 1st third of the 20th century Nkisi" magic statue representing a character standing on a rectangular base, his head covered with a headdress and his eyes covered with glass. The torso is pierced with iron nails, each nail made by the Nganga (blacksmith-sorcerer) is the memory of a spell related to a particular action used for protection. Wood, nails, vegetable fiber cords Height 31 cm. Provenance : Collected in-situ by Fernand OLIVEDA, Knight of the Legion of Honor and Chief Administrator of the colonies from 1888 to 1930 (Madagascar, Senegal, Congo). In 1925 he was the Head of the Secretariat of the General Governor of the Middle Congo.