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THBCongolese Luba Wood Double Headed Divination Figure
Lot 70b
About Seller
Artemis Fine Arts
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
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Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$1,200 - $2,000
Starting Bid
$600
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Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $25 |
| $300 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
About Auction
Live
By Artemis Fine Arts
Aug 22, 2025
Set Reminder
2025-08-22 10:00:00
2025-08-22 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Indigenous Art - Ralph T. Coe Center, Santa Fe, NM
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/indigenous-art---ralph-t-coe-center-santa-fe-nm-20324
Featuring works of art from the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a non-profit focused on promoting Indigenous Arts globally. All proceeds from the sale of these items will support future grants to Rehoming Program participants. Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisfinearts.com
Featuring works of art from the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a non-profit focused on promoting Indigenous Arts globally. All proceeds from the sale of these items will support future grants to Rehoming Program participants. Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisfinearts.com
View Full Catalog (452)
- Lot Description
Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Luba people, ca. 20th century CE. A double-headed female figure carved from a dense dark hardwood. The figure stands nude on solid legs with clearly defined genitalia and prominent, forward-projecting breasts. Both faces are rendered in the stylized manner, each gazing in opposite directions, possibly symbolizing spiritual vigilance or the ability to see into both the physical and spiritual realms. Incised scarification motifs, finely detailed across the abdomen, chest, and arms, indicate high status and cultural identity. Figures such as this may have served in divination contexts, with the dual heads representing heightened perception and watchfulness in all directions. Size: 20.25" H x 6" W x 4.75" D (51.4 cm x 15.2 cm x 12.1 cm); 21" H (53.3 cm) on included custom stand. Size: 6" W x 20.5" H (15.2 cm x 52.1 cm)
Exhibited: "Hands on... Culture Shock!" Ralph T. Coe Foundation for the Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. Hands-On Curatorial Program 2015. April 25 - December 31, 2015.
Ralph T. Coe recorded a brief account for this piece, attributing it to a practitioner of divination—stating that a female diviner among the Luba of Katanga was known as a bifwikwa. In his notes, Coe described bifikwa as women believed to be possessed by the spirit of an ancient hero, serving as important mediums and sometimes adopting male-associated symbols such as a spear and axe. He recounted that a medium named Ilunga Mwila of Kalongo was regarded as especially significant, keeping statues and ritual objects for divination rites. According to Coe’s narrative, many of these objects were taken during the Belgian colonial period by Henri Matton, then Police Chief, who allegedly arrested Mwila for witchcraft and transported the shrine contents to Belgium. While this story adds cultural and historical depth, it has not been corroborated in published ethnographic or historical literature and may represent a blend of oral tradition and local memory.
Provenance: Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA; ex-Ralph T. Coe personal collection acquired in 1989 from Dan Indelli, New York, USA.
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
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#196226Old inactive insect damage, with bore holes and grooves on the arm as shown. Stable pressure fissures and some abrasions. Heavy and dark patina.Condition
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