Standing Power Figure with Hands on Hips (Nkisi Nkondi)

Both hands rest on the hips, the commanding stance of a chief or judge. The glass eyes link the figure to the ancestral world and allow the spirit to see wrongdoers. The close-fitting cap with incised radial lines recalls the mpu, and the knob at the crown may be a bound coiffure or a receptacle for a medicinal charge. Red pigment on the cheeks and lips refers to tukula.

The dense collar of iron nails around the neck and chest is a record of oaths sworn, disputes settled and requests made. The twisted cord collar and the cloth and fibre wrapping at the waist complete the ensemble.

The calm, dark, smooth face, with a heavy brow, straight nose, closed lips and pale glass eyes, stands out against the radiating fringe of nails at the collar. The arms-akimbo pose opens the silhouette and frames the body, while the cord collar and fibre waistband add depth of texture. The figure stands on carved feet with articulated toes on a rectangular plinth, giving it a stable, frontal and confrontational presence.