Congolese Female Fetish Figure

Tall hat, stacked neck, hands folded over a lean torso.

Beni Lulua carvers of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, made this standing female figure in wood. Figures from the Lulua region are commonly associated with fertility, protection and the honoring of ancestors, and are often marked with fine scarification patterns. This one has a tall cylindrical headdress, a beard-like chin ridge, and a neck ringed in layers. Arms are carved close to the body with hands meeting at the waist. Hatched patterns cover the head and torso. The surface is dark and glossy, with lighter wear at the edges.

About ten inches tall. Upright and watchful, it keeps the corner of the desk in order.