Pair of Power Figures (Minkisi Minkondi)

Both figures follow the standing guardian model of the nkisi nkondi. Each raises one arm, the fist holding a spear, ready to strike at oath-breakers and wrongdoers. The woven fibre bands and upright plumes on the heads recall the regalia of chiefs and ritual specialists. The pale, kaolin-toned faces refer to mpemba, and the dark resinous deposits on the faces and temples show the build-up of ritual use.

The iron nails and blades, bound with cord, each record an invocation, an oath or an agreement. The central oval cavity, sealed with a reflective or resinous cover, was the seat of the bilongo, and a heavy neck wrap joins head and torso into one charged whole.

The pair shows the contrast between carved and assembled surfaces typical of the genre. The faces are finely modelled, with arched brows, a strong nasal ridge and parted lips, and have a calm, watchful expression. Below, the torsos bristle with iron nails bound in fibre. The figures stand on integral oval bases, on sturdy, slightly flexed legs with carefully incised toes. Dark matt wood, pale faces and rust-toned metal give a rich range of colour and texture, and displayed together the two figures mirror one another.

Figure B: 54 × 43 × 23 cm (21¼ × 16⅞ × 9 in)