Divination Gourd – Luba – Democratic Republic Of The Congo – First Half Of The 20th Century

A divination gourd finely carved with a female bust at the top. Seated, with her slender fingers delicately resting on her chest, she has a rounded belly, youthful breasts, and a face with a beautiful, alert expression. Her eyes are accentuated by circular sockets, and her brow ridges are slightly raised in relief. Her hair, swept back, is concealed beneath a traditional hat.
She wears a necklace of fine yellow beads around her neck.
The top of the gourd is adorned with feathers, lending this figurine a great deal of elegance.

Wood, feathers, plant fibers, calabash, original glossy brown patina from use.

Luba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, first half of the 20th century

Dimensions: 24 x 11 cm

Provenance: Former collection from northern France

Sold with a certificate of authenticity by expert Serge Reynes, guaranteeing its origin and period.

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"These ritual calabashes, called mboko, were used by Luba diviners and fetishists in divination rituals. The vessel typically contained kaolin or other magical substances intended to facilitate communication with invisible forces. The female figure carved on the upper part often embodies the first female diviner or the diviner’s wife, symbolizing the transmission of spiritual knowledge and ancestral memory. Through its posture, refinement, and the quality of its craftsmanship, this work attests to the importance of women in Luba cosmology, where they serve as guardians of knowledge and mediators of the sacred."