Minneapolis Institute of Art
Power figure
Kongo artist
- Date
- early 20th century
- Medium
- Wood, natural fibers, glass, metal, undetermined materials
- Culture
- Kongo
- Department
- Arts of Global Africa
- Institution
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
It looks like a man being punished or tortured. But to its Kongo makers and users, this figure was a container, empowered by a ritual specialist to house a specific spirit. The figure was consulted like a traditional chief to settle disputes and arrive at binding decisions. Each nail and blade, driven in to energize its powers, represents an issue resolved by its ritual authority. Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa
The authoritative record is held by Minneapolis Institute of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.
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