Tribal Art

Perched on thick blocks, the subject offers a glazed gaze whose black pupil is dilated. The nails and blades dotting his bust attest to the agreements made; the magical charge inserted into the adomen is believed to increase its mystical strength. Grey-brown patina, erosions and desication cracks.
Among the Kongo, the nganga was responsible for rituals by activating a spiritual force with a nkondi (pl. nkissi). The term nkisi was then used to designate the notions of "sacred" or "divine". The most influential category of "minkisi kongo" consisted of instruments intended to help regional chiefs to enforce the law, each nail evoking a particular case: litigants, divorce, conflicts between communities... The nkondi thus wanted ensure that the agreement to settle the conflict was well applied, and that individuals fear the consequences of their behavior. From the second half of the 20th century, minkisi minkondi were strategically placed along the coasts of the Loango kingdom to protect against European incursions. Among the most powerful, the Mangaaka was considered the "king" and "master", supreme arbiter of conflicts and protector of communities, and which became the most ambitious and monumental sculptural genre.