Banda figure
The African art of Ubangi
African male statuette in wood. The character has an imposing head resting on a cylindrical body without a neck, of which the arms are an integral part, slightly bent. Small straight legs with detailed feet support it all. Note the presence of metal rings at the waist and ankles. The eyes are encrusted with pearls.
The treatment of the face is very specific: the bridge of the nose divides the facies into two curved parts from which the semi-circular ears stand out rather low. The cap is ridged.
This figurine is most likely originally from the Central African Republic although it was collected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The sculptors of this region are known for their figurines with very diverse abstract shapes depending on the ethnic groups: Ngbaka, Zande, Nzakara, banda, Ngbandi, Manza, ...
The statuettes of these ethnic groups are most often linked to initiation societies but were also used in other settings such as promoting fertility. To do this, she was placed in the marital layer.
01228
Data sheet
- Presumed dating
- Circa 1950
- Size
- Ethnic group
- Material(s)
- Wood, metal
- Country
- Origin
- Tribal art collection Belgium
- Condition
- Excellent
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The African art of Ubangi
African male statuette in wood. The character has an imposing head resting on a cylindrical body without a neck, of which the arms are an integral part, slightly bent. Small straight legs with detailed feet support it all. Note the presence of metal rings at the waist and ankles. The eyes are encrusted with pearls.
The treatment of the face is very specific: the bridge of the nose divides the facies into two curved parts from which the semi-circular ears stand out rather low. The cap is ridged.
This figurine is most likely originally from the Central African Republic although it was collected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The sculptors of this region are known for their figurines with very diverse abstract shapes depending on the ethnic groups: Ngbaka, Zande, Nzakara, banda, Ngbandi, Manza, ...
The statuettes of these ethnic groups are most often linked to initiation societies but were also used in other settings such as promoting fertility. To do this, she was placed in the marital layer.