Power Figure with Raised Arm and Crown (Nkisi Nkondi)

The right arm is raised high, the hand carved as an open grip, ready to strike at thieves, oath-breakers and those who do harm by hidden means. The left hand rests on the hip, the stance of a chief or judge presiding over disputes. The crown-like headdress, with four upright projections above a studded band, recalls the headgear of Kongo chiefs and banganga. The inset eyes give sight into the world of the dead, and the open mouth with bared teeth gives the spirit a voice.

The rectangular belly box, sealed with glass, holds the bilongo; its reflective surface evokes the watery boundary between the living and the dead. The nails at the hips and back record invocations, and the cord collar, fibre bindings and small tied bundles on the back bind the spirit to its task.

The composition is built on strong asymmetry: the raised right arm drives upwards, balanced by the firm angle of the left arm at the hip. The four blunt projections of the headdress, with dark, glossy accretions, catch the light. The face, with close-set eyes, strong nose and open, toothed mouth, is direct and confrontational. The glass pane of the belly box forms a luminous focal point, and the nails, cord collar and fibre bindings build a rich, layered surface. The figure stands squarely on carved feet on a solid block base.

Note. The arm, shoulders and torso carry a later painted intervention by Fayez Barakat in dots of bright colour. This contemporary layer places the historical carving in dialogue with modern painting and marks the figure’s passage into his collection, set against the deep brown and black of the original patina.