Teke Buti figure

Teke anthropomorphic wooden figure distinguished by its hieratic expression, tall coiffure and heavily weathered surface. The striated face and strongly vertical composition relate the sculpture to the distinctive visual language of Teke art from the Congo Basin.

Figures known as Buti or Butti belonged to a wider category of sculptures whose significance extended far beyond representation. Some were associated with the memory of an ancestor or deceased person of rank, while others could participate in different ritual contexts under the authority of a specialist. Their effectiveness depended on empowering substances and preparations that are often no longer preserved.

The deep cavities visible in the body of this example may relate to former attachments or ritual materials. Its pronounced wear, old losses and deeply aged surface give the figure a particularly compelling sculptural presence.