A Songye male sculpture, standing on a wooden base, the knees slightly bent, small male genitalia, the belly protruding but the navel is designed as a cavity, the hands are resting on the lower abdomen, below the small breasts which are designed like female breasts and around the neck are pieces of fabric that are tied in the back, the cylindric neck carries a large round head, a smiling mouth, a short but broad nose and nearly closed almond shaped eyes, the hair is pulled up on top of the head in the shape of a horn, matal nails on feet, shoulders and face. Certificate of authenticity and provenance.

“The Songye are attached to the Luba. Their cultural and linguistic traditions have common traits. Hemba statues also have similarities.
The Songye territories stretches wide into central Africa. Favorable to agriculture and hunting, it is irrigated by the Lomami river which is oriented towards to north. The first Europeans discovered the Kabinda region in 1882. Statues and objects were bought to Europe and put on display all through out 1882 to 1939, in museums in Berlin, Tervuren, Namur, Geneva, London."

Lit: La redoubtable stature Songye d´Afrique Central, Francois Neyt, Fonds Mercator, 2004.

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Height: 24 cm
Weight: 170 g