A Chokwe sculpture, Congo.

The Chokwe people, who live across eastern Angola, southern Democratic Republic of Congo, and northwestern Zambia, are among the most celebrated sculptors in Central Africa. Chokwe sculpture reflects a vibrant synthesis of aesthetic excellence, ritual function, and social identity, rooted in a rich cultural heritage that honors ancestors, leadership, and spiritual power.

Chokwe sculpture is best known for its finely carved figures and masks, especially the male and female ancestor figures (hamba), the chieftain figures (wanaanga), and objects used by diviners and healers. These sculptures often portray idealized human forms—elegantly proportioned bodies, calm, introspective faces, and detailed surface decoration including scarification patterns, elaborate coiffures, and jewelry—all of which denote beauty, rank, and spiritual potency.
One of the most iconic Chokwe figures is the seated chief or ancestor, often depicted holding a staff or pipe, with an upright posture that conveys dignity, control, and wisdom. These sculptures were not only visual tributes but also believed to be charged with spiritual energy, used in rites of passage, fertility rituals, or consulted by diviners during moments of crisis or uncertainty.

Chokwe carving is renowned for its technical mastery: sculptors use hardwood, carefully polished and sometimes inlaid with metal, beads, or fiber, creating objects that are not only powerful but sensuously tactile. These artworks were traditionally kept in shrines or homes, where they maintained protective and didactic roles, instructing and guarding the community.

Art historian Manuel Jordán writes:
“Chokwe sculpture is a dialogue between form and function, between visual refinement and spiritual resonance. Each curve, scar, and posture encodes memory—of lineage, ritual authority, and the enduring presence of the ancestral world in everyday life.”
(Chokwe! Art and Initiation Among Chokwe and Related Peoples, 1998).

Sotheby's

sold

Height: 85 cm
Weight: 6,2 kg