Antique African Songye Nkishi Power Figure – Tribal Carved Wood Sculpture

Antique African Songye Nkishi Power Figure – Tribal Carved Wood Sculpture On offer is a wonderfully striking antique African Songye-style Nkishi Power Figure, a traditional carved wooden sculpture associated with the Songye people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central Africa. This fascinating piece of African tribal art stands an impressive 35.5 cm (14 inches) in height and displays an extraordinary combination of stylised figurative carving, symbolic ornamentation and beautifully aged surface character. The sculpture depicts a standing human figure with an elongated neck supporting a magnificent, oversized, angular head. The wonderfully expressive face features prominent almond-shaped eyes, a long, slender geometric nose, delicately carved lips and a distinctive pointed chin. The imposing head and serene facial expression give the piece a particularly powerful and captivating presence. The figure has broad, angular shoulders, slender arms resting alongside the body and a pronounced, rounded abdomen, with the lower section terminating in a substantial, flared integral wooden base. It is of particular interest are the surviving ceremonial-style adornments, including a necklace composed of coloured glass beads and tubular elements, together with a small pendant suspended at the front of the neck. A further textured amulet or ritual bundle is attached to one arm with cord binding, whilst remnants of reddish-brown fabric remain wrapped around the waist. These fascinating details add considerably to the sculpture's visual interest and distinctive character. Attributes: Type: African tribal power figure / Nkishi-style sculpture. Cultural attribution: Songye style. Region: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central Africa. Material: Hand-carved wood with glass beads, cord, textile and attached amulet. Period: Antique - Early 20th-century The wooden base displays age-related splitting, whilst the glass-bead necklace and suspended amulet remain present. These characteristics are consistent with an object that has experienced considerable handling and wear over time and contribute to its distinctive appearance. ^^ Fast & Free UK Delivery Included^^ *A Certificate of Authenticity (COA) will be provided by artsonline with this piece* Delivery Artsonline UK ships worldwide daily, using only fully insured, priority, and fully tracked delivery services. Great care and much time are taken over the safe transportation of the Fine Art and Antique pieces that we sell. We pack extremely carefully, so you can rest assured that your piece will arrive with you in perfect condition. For larger paintings, antique furniture pieces, and fragile items that can not be sent via the normal postal services, we use professional door-to-door delivery providers, who will always strive to deliver your piece promptly, within approx. 7-14 working days. Returns Policy Artsonline provides a genuine no-quibble 14-day money-back refund policy (excluding the cost of Postage and Packaging). Pay securely - Telephone orders welcome Image result for payments accepted logos Secure-Payment-Vpadeb-sa-la-go-th-et-an-gt-0014586-BACS-Order-PayPal-M/Card