MAK 0322-6
Bembé (Bwende) Ceremonial Spoon, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
For dynamism, this Bembé spoon is designed with a fully sculpted handle of a ‘well-equipped’ male figure holding his hands under his chest and with ‘tattoos’ on his stomach.
This spoon is intended for magical rituals and forms part of ceremonial actions in Bembe (Bwende) society. Where it respectfully expresses a request and can be associated with the rituals of healing and divination.
Age: Est. beg. – mid 20th century.
Measurements: This ceremonial spoon measures incl. beautifully processed wood/metal stand:
H: 29/41, W: 10, D: 19 cm.
Provenance: Private collection France.
Literature:
The African-American Institute, Masterpieces of the People’s Republic of the Congo, 1980, p. 37, no. 42
Robbins and Nooter, African Art in American Collections, 1989, p. 378, no. 966
Felix, Art & Kongos. Congophone people and their sculpture. Biteki bia Bakongo, Volume 1: The Kongos of the North, 1995, p. 197.
