RARE AFRICAN LWALWA LUALUA BALWALWA LWALU DIVINATION SHRINE FIGURE DRC CONGO

Description

A Rare Lwalwa Shrine Figure – Democratic Republic of Congo
ca Early-Mid 20th Century
Wood, encrusted patina
Height 22.8cm (9in)
PROVENANCE:
From a prominent art collection of a US senator (per confidentiality agreement: identity can be released only upon transfer of ownership)
*Documentation on file and can accompany the artwork for historical conservation purposes.
Description: Standing figure of cubistic form, squared limbs with truncated hands, the lozenge-shaped head with eyes and mouth specified by thin rectangles; brown encrusted patina with remnants of kaolin.
Curatorial Remarks: Good condition displaying age cracks (stable). Surface wear commensurate with age and use.
According to Dr. Christopher Roy, Lwalwa origins are closely tied to the Kete who live to the north and originally migrated from the area currently located between the Luba and Songye Kingdoms. Before the 17th century, the Lwalwa were divided into small matrilineal chiefdoms. Later they became part of the ties established between the Lunda and Luba. However, they always remained independent, refused to pay tribute, and never truly accepted the Lunda chiefs as overseers. Instead, the Lwalwa have formed a political union between themselves, the Mbagani, the Salampasu, and the Kete. They have remained relatively isolated from outside influences, due to their location between the Kasai and Lueta rivers, and were virtually cut off from trade routes. Lwalwa religion entails belief in Mvidie Mukulu (a supreme god) and Nzambi (an omniscient creator). Respect is paid to recently departed ancestors, and offerings are made to various nature spirits who have shrines built in their honor. It is believed that everything has a mukishi (spirit), which can be offended and cause trouble. These spirits must be appeased if balance and order are to be maintained. Both boys and girls go through initiation to become responsible adult members of Lwalwa society, but masks are used only during male Ngongo initiation. Divination using rubbing oracles is practiced to determine events in the past that are currently causing misfortune. Some small figures are carved for divination and display on shrines, but the majority of Lwalwa art in collections consists of beautifully sculpted masks (Roy, Christopher, 2007). The present divination figure is an example from the Ngongo society and is distinguished by its lozenge-shaped head, concave face, and elongated nose representing the powerful beak of the hornbill. Lwalwa statuary is uncommon and almost always carved in pairs. Marc Leo Felix claims that independent figures are always female. Ethnologist Paul Timmermans further explains that individual figures were used in women’s fertility rights and may have originally been part of a matching set (Fritts, 2011). Pairs, even if they do not correspond exactly, were not intended as portraits, but rather as representations of the mythical ancestors —
the originators of the Lwalwa. These figures would have been venerated in dedicated shrines.
Cf. Christie's,
Arts Primitifs: Collection d'un Amateur
, Sale 5027, Paris, June 14, 2002, Lot 306 for related work,
Half Figure
(Accession No. 1992.225.4), Lwalwa (or Lwalu) peoples, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 19th–20th century, Gift of Roda and Gilbert Graham, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and Sotheby’s,
African and Oceanic Art
, Sale N08132, New York, November 5, 2011, Lot 140 (
EST 40,000—60,000 USD
) for comparable examples
.
*
WE WILL SHIP WORLDWIDE*
If you are outside the USA, please contact us for a more accurate shipping quote BEFORE BIDDING. Thank you.