A Bembe female figure
Bembe or Bwende subgroups of the Kongo, Luozi territory Southwestern Congo, standing on exaggerated feet with the legs set apart, the arms bent at the elbows, a thick neck below the square jaw with chin pointed forward, a grooved mouth, wide nose, and eyes with inlay, below a cap-like coiffure, scarification on the torso, rich brown patina, inventory number on one foot, the sculpture was part of a lubiala or luyalu basket that contains a chief's treasure, (missing lower left arm).
ht. 6 3/4 in.
Footnotes:
Provenance: The Laure-Marie and Daniel P. Biebuyck collection, Newton, Massachusetts; Collected in situ by a Belgian colonial administrator (Fichevet) in 1958, in Luozi territory; Acquired by Daniel P. Biebuyck in 1959.