38 - Fetish

Fetish depicting a figure with oversized feet Wood, with an aged patina contrasting shades of brown and honey; shows signs of wear and age. Blue and white beads, horn, brass nails, reptile skin. Songyé, Democratic Republic of the Congo 61 cm A horn rises from the top of the skull, and brass nails dot the forehead and chin. A thick necklace of blue and white beads accentuates the neck, while the arms, cut at right angles, frame the protruding abdomen upon which the hands rest. The figure stands on disproportionately large feet that give it a powerful stance. This sculpture is distinguished by its unusual use of color. The darkened areas, distributed across the various planes of the body, create a graphic contrast with the light surfaces that emphasizes the carefully studied geometry of the forms. The face, with a glossier honey-colored hue, differs markedly from the lower part of the body: this difference may indicate that the figure was once clad in fabric or fibers that protected certain surfaces. Among the Songyé, nkishi were believed to possess protective powers against malevolent forces and disease. A ritual specialist, the nganga, would insert active substances—known as bishimba—into the belly, the top of the head, or the horn. These effigies were the subject of ritualized care and handling; some large communal examples were even carried using sticks placed under the arms to avoid any direct contact with their sacred power. General Bibliography: François Neyt, *Songye: The Formidable Songye Sculptures of Central Africa*, Brussels, Fonds Mercator, 2004. Comparative bibliography: Galerie Éric Hertault, Songyé. Fabulous and Formidable Effigies, Paris, 2022, pp. 26–27: statuette from the former collections of Hans Himmelheber and Josef Müller. Comparison of the arms cut at right angles, the protruding abdomen framed by the hands, and the disproportionately large feet; despite differences in proportions, particularly in the neck and the bend of the legs, both works share the same quest for balance between angular volumes and rounded forms.