Sculpture Nkondi Nail

An imposing Nkondi Nail figure

This Nkondi Nail sculpture originates from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and dates from the mid-20th century. Made from wood and metal, it has a natural colour and measures 44 x 41 x 125 cm. Versmissen offers it under reference AAA178. The figure stands in a posture characterised by hands positioned near the hips and abdomen.

The sculpture possesses a regal dignity, expressed in particular through its posture and its clay and resin beard. The position of the hands near the abdomen refers to its original role as an ancestral figure. Nkondi Nail Fetish figures generally belonged to religious specialists known as nganga, who derived a significant portion of their income from them. The materials, depicted gestures and added elements thus form a figure associated with an ancestral and religious context.

Features of the Nkondi sculpture

• Origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Main materials: wood and metal
• Clay and resin beard
• Dimensions: 44 x 41 x 125 cm
• Ancestral figure with a regal posture