Ancestor effigy - Lot 59

Ancestor effigy Boyo or Basikassingo culture, D.R. Congo Hardwood with beautiful black patina H. 44 cm Provenance: Ludwig Bretschneider Collection, Munich - Ludwig Bretschneider Collection (1909-1988), Munich - Adrian Schlag, Brussels - Galerie Alain de Monbrison, Paris Bibliography: - Daniel P. Biebuyck, Statuary from the pre-Bembe hunters, RMCA, Tervuren, 1981 Also known as pre-Bembe or Basikasingo, the Boyo created a recognizable style, often oscillating between realism and a certain "cubism". Influenced by the art of the neighboring Luba, Hemba and Tabwa populations, the effigy in the Bretschneider collection is characterized by its compact bust, with arms bent at right angles to the body, forming a continuous design with the shoulders. Its face, with large, slit almond-shaped eyes, is set in a triangle divided by a long, straight nose. Linked to the cult of ancestors, this effigy was placed in a small sanctuary alongside other statues assembled according to a precise, known genealogy. This cult thus federated independent political entities and stable political relations around itself.