Kongo nkondi figure, Democratic Republic of the Congo
50" tall x 16" wide (at widest point) - Wood, pigment, glass, nails, leather, fiber
$200 - ON HOLD
Authentic Kongo nkondi figures are very rare and most old figures are in museum collections and early private collections. These figures have
been produced specifically for the collecting market for decades due to their rarity and popularity among the early collectors. Despite its
appearance, I believe this object was made specifically for the collecting market.
In their traditional context, fetishes were protective figures used by individuals, families, or whole communities to destroy or weaken
evil spirits, prevent or cure illnesses, repel bad deeds, solemnize contracts or oath-taking, and decide arguments. A diviner or holy person would
activate the statue, using magical substances. Fetishes gained power and were effective because people believed in them.
The nkondi are the most powerful of the nkisi. They were used to identify and hunt down unknown wrongdoers such as thieves, and people who
were believed to cause sickness or death by occult means. They were also used to punish people who swore false oaths and villages which
broke treaties. To inspire the nkondi to action, it was both invoked and provoked. Invocations, in bloodthirsty language, encouraged it to punish
the guilty party. It would also be provoked by having gunpowder exploded in front of it, and having nails hammered into it. They were also used
to literally "hammer out agreements"...with clear implications as to what would happen to people who broke the agreements. - Sources "Africa the
Art of a Continent".
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