Statuette, Bembe, Democratic Republic of the Congo Wood with brown patina H. 17,5 cm Bembe figure, Democratic Republic of the Congo H. 6 7/8 in Provenance: - Julius Carlebach (New York 1953) - Christie's New York, 14 November 2008, The Robert and Jean Schoenberg collection - Galerie Yann Ferrandin - French private collection Publication: - Kongo, art magique éd. Yann Ferrandin, 2008 The female figure stands with her arms at her side. The chest is generous, the belly decorated with diamond and V-shaped scarifications. The treatment of the face makes it possible to link the sculpture to the style known as "Kolo", highlighted by Lehuard, from the name of a village near Mouyondzi (Congo) where Karl Laman collected a statuette now kept in the Stockholm Museum. The face is distinguished by its mouth which draws an obtuse angle, like a smile. The eyes have round pupils each marked by an inlaid pearl. The C-shaped ears are stretched obliquely. The headdress draws two arched lines on the forehead that meet in the center. The superb shiny patina bears witness to the countless manipulations the statue may have undergone over time. Rectal cavity