"Yombé Maternity Figure - Kongo, Congo"
This wood sculpture with a deep patina, originating from the Yombe culture (a subgroup of the Kongo ethnic group), illustrates one of the most sacred themes in Central African art: ritual motherhood, known as Phemba. Depicted in a posture of serene dignity, the maternal figure sits cross-legged, her hands guiding the child with protective solemnity. Her face, characterized by a slightly open mouth and eyes inlaid with white kaolin, seems inhabited by an invisible presence, symbolizing the connection between the world of the living and that of the ancestors. Late 19th, early 20th century. Height: 30 cm. Michel Gaud Collection, St. Tropez. Fily Keita Collection, Los Angeles, USA. 
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