Power figure
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Lot: 99
98th AuctionPower figure
D. R. Congo, Teke
| Provenance | Size | Starting price / estimated price |
|---|---|---|
| Werner Zintl, Worms, Germany (2002) | H: 14.2 inch |
1000 EUR
plus 23 % commission, VAT, transport and insurance |
wood, pigments, mass, fabric, copper wire, base
The Teke make a disctinction between the spirits of ancestors, which are present in "nkira" figures, and anonymous spirits, which inhabit "buti" figures.
It is not normally possible to classify a figure on the basis of its appearance. The difference between "nkira" and "buti" depends both on the components used and on the context in which the figure is used.
"Buti" figures were used for a wide range of purposes such as healing, protection against spells, ensuring good fortune in hunting or trading, the rapid acquisition of wealth or revenge.
Grootaers, Jan-Lodewijk & Ineke Eisenburger (ed.), Forms of Wonderment, Vol. II, Berg en Dal 2002, p. 520
