Exhibition Guide

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Power Figure (Nkisi)

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    Looking with Former BMA Curator Kathryn Wysocki Gunsch

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    Other Kinds of Nkisi

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Additional Images

Power Figure (Nkisi), early 20th century. Kongo kingdom, Democratic Republic of the Congo or Angola. Wood, mirrored glass, copper alloy, and pitch. Gift of Alan Wurtzburger, BMA 1954.145.65
Power Figure (Nkisi), early 20th century. Kongo kingdom, Democratic Republic of the Congo or Angola. Wood, glass, plant fibers, earth, and cloth. Gift of Alan Wurtzburger, BMA 1954.145.67

Art Object Info

Unidentified Artist

Medium:
Wood, iron, mirrored glass, earth, encrustation, fiber
Size:
Depth: 6 1/2 "
Width: 7 1/16"
Height: 12 3/8"
Date:
19th Century

The wide eyes of these sculptures suggest a living presence within. In the Kingdom of Kongo, men and women sought healing and protection from diviners who worked with powerful objects called minkisi (singular: nkisi). These works took many shapes—from cloth bundles to clay pots to human and animal figures—but all channeled the power of spiritual forces that were invited to live inside the container that had been made for them.

During the era of the transatlantic slave trade— which saw as many as three million Kongolese citizens kidnapped and enslaved between 1500 and 1900—more and more minkisi began to take human form. These works come from the 19th century or shortly thereafter. Their human form and pose reflect the anxieties of this traumatic time in African history.

Gift of Alan Wurtzburger BMA 1954.145.66

Power Figure (Nkisi)

Unidentified Artist
Date:
19th Century
Medium:
Wood, iron, mirrored glass, earth, encrustation, fiber
Size:
Depth: 6 1/2 "
Width: 7 1/16"
Height: 12 3/8"

The wide eyes of these sculptures suggest a living presence within. In the Kingdom of Kongo, men and women sought healing and protection from diviners who worked with powerful objects called minkisi (singular: nkisi). These works took many shapes—from cloth bundles to clay pots to human and animal figures—but all channeled the power of spiritual forces that were invited to live inside the container that had been made for them.

During the era of the transatlantic slave trade— which saw as many as three million Kongolese citizens kidnapped and enslaved between 1500 and 1900—more and more minkisi began to take human form. These works come from the 19th century or shortly thereafter. Their human form and pose reflect the anxieties of this traumatic time in African history.

Gift of Alan Wurtzburger BMA 1954.145.66