Bembe Sikasingo janus head
€375.00
Small carved wooden cephalomorphic figure distinguished by a Janus head with two opposing faces, large projecting circular eyes and a small triangular mouth. Its deliberately abstract, almost geometric construction is enhanced by a dark brown patina with traces of handling and residual pigment.
The work may be related to the rare sculptural corpus generally described as Basikasingo or pre-Bembe, originating in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Within this tradition, the two-faced image has notably been associated with Alunga, an ancestral figure connected with the initiatory society of the same name. According to an interpretation recorded by Daniel Biebuyck, the Janus head refers to the double-faced mask associated with this institution, its duality suggesting an ability to encompass different dimensions of the visible and invisible worlds.
With its radical abstraction, projecting eyes and bifrontal conception, this small sculpture powerfully reflects the formal inventiveness of pre-Bembe traditions. Janiform examples remain comparatively uncommon and form a particularly distinctive and sought-after category within the sculpture of the region.
Shipping fees
02748
Data sheet
- Presumed dating
- Mid XXth century
- Size
- 13 cm
- Ethnic group
- Material(s)
- Wood
- Country
- Origin
- B. Berete Collection
- Condition
- Vintage
Small carved wooden cephalomorphic figure distinguished by a Janus head with two opposing faces, large projecting circular eyes and a small triangular mouth. Its deliberately abstract, almost geometric construction is enhanced by a dark brown patina with traces of handling and residual pigment.
The work may be related to the rare sculptural corpus generally described as Basikasingo or pre-Bembe, originating in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Within this tradition, the two-faced image has notably been associated with Alunga, an ancestral figure connected with the initiatory society of the same name. According to an interpretation recorded by Daniel Biebuyck, the Janus head refers to the double-faced mask associated with this institution, its duality suggesting an ability to encompass different dimensions of the visible and invisible worlds.
With its radical abstraction, projecting eyes and bifrontal conception, this small sculpture powerfully reflects the formal inventiveness of pre-Bembe traditions. Janiform examples remain comparatively uncommon and form a particularly distinctive and sought-after category within the sculpture of the region.