Lot A96 - Bowl-Bearing Figure

Bowl-Bearing Figure

Possibly Luba-related, Central Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Height: 23 cm

Carved wooden figure kneeling on a circular base and supporting a cup-shaped bowl on the head. The figure displays a rounded head with finely incised scarification framing the eyes and forehead, heavy-lidded almond-shaped eyes, and a composed facial expression.

The arms are characteristically bent forward, with the hands placed high on the chest in a compact and stylized posture. The arms are carved in a flattened, blade-like manner, separated from the torso by deep cuts that emphasize the sculptural form. The body is compactly modeled with bent legs beneath the torso and a slightly elongated neck supporting the head and vessel.

The bowl above the head is smoothly hollowed and likely served as a small container. Figures supporting bowls or vessels are known from the Luba cultural sphere and related groups in Central Congo, where they may have functioned as prestige objects or containers associated with ritual or courtly traditions.

The surface shows a dark brown patina with visible wear and a vertical age crack along the torso.