Art Institute of Chicago

Male Figure (Nkisi Nkondi)

Kongo: Vili

Date

Probably early to mid-19th century

Medium

Wood, metal, glass, fabric, fiber, cowrie shells, bone, leather, gourd, and feathers

Culture

Republic of the Congo

Department

Arts of Africa

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

The term nkisi refers to spirit-invested objects that were empowered with medicinal and magical ingredients called bilongo . In the case of this male figure, the bilongo are enclosed in the cap on the head and in the mirror-sealed resin packet on the abdomen. The name nkondi refers to the figure’s ability to hunt down and punish wrongdoers. A nail or a blade was driven into the figure to prompt the inhabiting spirit at every consultation.

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