id: 168730 accession number: 2010.436 share license status: CC0 url: https://clevelandart.org/art/2010.436 updated: 2023-08-24 00:44:45.708000 Male Figurine or Finial, early 1800s-early 1900s. Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (most likely), Cabinda, or Republic of the Congo, probably Yombe people. Wood; overall: 9.7 x 3.8 x 3.3 cm (3 13/16 x 1 1/2 x 1 5/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, René and Odette Delenne Collection, Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund 2010.436 title: Male Figurine or Finial title in original language: series: series in original language: creation date: early 1800s-early 1900s creation date earliest: 1800 creation date latest: 1925 current location: creditline: René and Odette Delenne Collection, Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund copyright: --- culture: Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (most likely), Cabinda, or Republic of the Congo, probably Yombe people technique: Wood department: African Art collection: African Art type: Sculpture find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS --- measurements: Overall: 9.7 x 3.8 x 3.3 cm (3 13/16 x 1 1/2 x 1 5/16 in.) state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS title: Fragments of the Invisible: The Rene and Odette Delenne Collection of Congo Sculpture opening date: 2013-10-27T00:00:00 Fragments of the Invisible: The Rene and Odette Delenne Collection of Congo Sculpture. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 27, 2013-February 9, 2014). --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS --- PROVENANCE (René De Wolf, Brussels, BE, before 1972, sold to René and Odette Delenne) date: ?-1972 footnotes: citations: René [1901-1998] and Odette Delenne [1925-2012], Brussels, BE, 2010, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art. date: 1972-2010 footnotes: citations: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH 2010 date: 2010 footnotes: citations: --- fun fact: The stomach cavity was once filled with medicinal substances; once removed, the nkisi figure is considered “decommissioned.” digital description: This figurine or finial may have contained a medicine-filled package on its abdomen. The man seated with his legs crossed and wearing a coiffure of Portuguese inspiration may represent a chief, which was once attached to a scepter or perhaps a flywhisk. Beneath the chief, a child holds onto his back; though such imagery is more typically seen with female sculptures. wall description: This male figurine was probably once attached to a scepter or perhaps even to a fly whisk. There are traces on the surface that indicate the sculpture may have carried a medicine-filled package on its abdomen. The man seated with legs crossed and wearing a coiffure of Portuguese inspiration may represent a chief. His broken-off right hand would have held the carved imitation of a root called munkwiza, one of the most important chiefly medicines often buried in the earth of a chief 's compound. Perhaps the smaller figurine on the rear of the work, beneath the root-chewing chief, depicts a child holding onto his parent's back, though such imagery is more typically seen on female sculptures. --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS Petridis, Constantine, et al. Fragments of the Invisible: The René and Odette Delenne Collection of Congo Sculpture. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art. Milan: 5 Continents Editions, 2013, 50. page number: Reproduced: p. 50; mentioned: p. 113, cat. 11 url: --- IMAGES web: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2010.436/2010.436_web.jpg print: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2010.436/2010.436_print.jpg full: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2010.436/2010.436_full.tif