Cleveland Museum of Art

Power figure (nkisi)

Date

late 1800s–early 1900s

Medium

Wood, feathers, organic material (including resin), iron, and possibly porcelain

Culture

Africa, Central Africa, Republic of the Congo, Kongo-style maker

Department

African Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This figure had lost its nkisi load on the belly, but now shows how the mixture of earth, resin, leaves, glass, and other items was fixed onto the wooden figure, supported by four nails. It had been the property of “the sorcerer of Mboukou.” This niksi figurine shows how the mixture of earth, resin, leaves, glass, and other items was fixed. It had been the property of “the sorcerer of Mboukou.”

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