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Unknown — Luba Figure, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Unknown

Luba Figure, Democratic Republic of the Congo

This Luba figure from the Democratic Republic of the Congo exemplifies the sophisticated sculptural traditions of the Luba people, known for their refined aesthetic sensibility and technical mastery of carved wood. The work likely served ceremonial or spiritual functions within Luba society, possibly as a power object or container for sacred materials, reflecting the culture's complex cosmological beliefs. The figure's elegant proportions, careful attention to anatomical detail, and polished surface finish demonstrate the artist's commitment to both formal beauty and cultural significance.

🔨 Auction Lot

Art of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

October 11, 2024

Estimate: $80,000$120,000

Lot 15

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About this work

Unknown, Luba Figure, Democratic Republic of the Congo

This Luba figure from the Democratic Republic of the Congo exemplifies the sophisticated sculptural traditions of the Luba people, known for their refined aesthetic sensibility and technical mastery of carved wood. The work likely served ceremonial or spiritual functions within Luba society, possibly as a power object or container for sacred materials, reflecting the culture's complex cosmological beliefs. The figure's elegant proportions, careful attention to anatomical detail, and polished surface finish demonstrate the artist's commitment to both formal beauty and cultural significance.

Seen at
Sotheby's, New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris

Related themes

Figurative Sculpture, Ancestral Veneration, Spiritual reverence, 19th-20th Century, African traditional sculpture, Three-dimensional figure, Wood Carving, Congolese artist, Ceremonial Object, Luba culture

More works by Unknown

Collected by

Richard Caswell, Sebastián Naranjo, Jonah Handel, Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris, Ethan Elkins, Alex Capecelatro, Mihail Lari, Cleveland Museum of Art