Lot A97 - Mother and Child Figure (Bwanga bwa Chibola)

Mother and Child Figure (Bwanga bwa Chibola)

Lulua people, Kasai region, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Height: 29 cm

Carved wooden standing female figure holding a child across the abdomen, representing the Lulua protective maternity type known as Bwanga bwa Chibola. The figure displays an elongated neck with ringed decoration and a cross-hatched coiffure rising to a small crest.

The face is decorated with traditional scarification, including curved lines across the cheeks and geometric motifs near the temples. The arms are bent forward, the hands clasping a small cylindrical child against the stomach.

Decorative elements include scarification on the chest and shoulders, a patterned belt at the waist, and spiral motifs carved on the buttocks. Dark brown patina with wear consistent with age