Bwami Initiation Statue, Lega People, First Half of the 20th Century
The smooth, dark patina of this small, carefully shaped, male, wooden initiation statue from the first half of the 20th century, by the Lega people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, reflects the physical and moral beauty to which initiates aspire. Members of Lega society, who live in small autonomous villages in the forests, learn morals, skills and wisdom by joining a semi-secret initiatory society known as ‘Bwami’, in which figurines such as this are used alongside ritual, dance, song and proverbs to impart lessons appropriate to the different levels of Bwami to which they belong. These human figurines in particular would be closely connected to a proverb in Lega society, the faces often abstracted and decoratively whitened with the white silicate clay ‘Kaolin’, as this one has been.
Dimension:
Height 12”
Depth 3”
width 3”
Location:
The Gallery 200 Lex New York
The smooth, dark patina of this small, carefully shaped, male, wooden initiation statue from the first half of the 20th century, by the Lega people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, reflects the physical and moral beauty to which initiates aspire. Members of Lega society, who live in small autonomous villages in the forests, learn morals, skills and wisdom by joining a semi-secret initiatory society known as ‘Bwami’, in which figurines such as this are used alongside ritual, dance, song and proverbs to impart lessons appropriate to the different levels of Bwami to which they belong. These human figurines in particular would be closely connected to a proverb in Lega society, the faces often abstracted and decoratively whitened with the white silicate clay ‘Kaolin’, as this one has been.
Dimension:
Height 12”
Depth 3”
width 3”
Location:
The Gallery 200 Lex New York
The smooth, dark patina of this small, carefully shaped, male, wooden initiation statue from the first half of the 20th century, by the Lega people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, reflects the physical and moral beauty to which initiates aspire. Members of Lega society, who live in small autonomous villages in the forests, learn morals, skills and wisdom by joining a semi-secret initiatory society known as ‘Bwami’, in which figurines such as this are used alongside ritual, dance, song and proverbs to impart lessons appropriate to the different levels of Bwami to which they belong. These human figurines in particular would be closely connected to a proverb in Lega society, the faces often abstracted and decoratively whitened with the white silicate clay ‘Kaolin’, as this one has been.
Dimension:
Height 12”
Depth 3”
width 3”
Location:
The Gallery 200 Lex New York