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Female Figure
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
Mankishi figures were believed to have magical powers and were used by diviners to contact spirits in otherworldly realms. Smaller, personal power figures were used to connect with “common” ancestors, while the larger Mankishi figures contacted higher-ranking ancestral spirits. These power figures were kept in their own personal spaces because of their powerful status, and could only be handled by their designated nkunja , or guardian.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineFemale Figure, late 1800s-early 1900s. Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Songye people. Wood, upholstery studs, antelope horns, and animal hair; overall: 34.8 x 6.2 x 14.5 cm (13 11/16 x 2 7/16 x 5 11/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, René and Odette Delenne Collection, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund, 2010.452
