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Wooden part of a scepter or ceremonial cane depicting a male figure built around a central cylinder. The legs are bent, with feet framing a filled-in round cavity that must contain a magical charge. The arms are bent, with hands positioned around a prominent navel. Below this, we can see that the carver depicted a male genitalia. Above the shoulders, the cylinder continues, forming the neck on which a face representing a "Kifwebe" mask is positioned. The cylinder then continues to end with a splayed, hollow shape where another structure, likely metal, must have been fitted.
The overall shape built around this cylinder is very balanced, geometric, and almost cubist.
Wood with a brown patina of use, cracks, and some scratches.
Height: 34.5 cm
Songye people, DRC First half of the 20th century
Provenance: former Norbert Boutet collection
Ref: 5NP29BVF16