Large Fetish, Songye People, Drc

A large statue depicting a male figure standing with his legs slightly bent. His hands rest around a prominent belly. His left wrist is adorned with a hammered copper bracelet. His open mouth forms a faint smile and sits above a goatee. A triangular nose is framed by large oval eyes. The originality of this statue lies in the fact that each eye has been incised with a horizontal line into which a copper wire has been inserted, giving the gaze a striking presence.
The overall style of the statue remains classical, with a certain touch of Cubism.At the top of the head, there is a circular cavity into which a horn was once inserted.
Dense wood with a patina from use (cracks and damage at the base)
Height: 65.4 cm
Songye people, D.R.C.
First half of the 20th century
Provenance: formerly from a private collection in the U.S., reportedly acquired in Kinshasa in 1961.