Teke Male Power Figure, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Frank Crowninshield, New York
H.F. Sachs Gallery, New York (inv. no. "11")
Annie-Laurie Warmack Crawford Aitken, New York, acquired from the above in 1940
Russel B. Aitken, New York, by descent from the above
Christie's New York, The Russell B. Aitken Collection of African, American Indian, and Oceanic Art, April 3, 2003, lot 82
Private American Collection, acquired at the above auction

LaGamma (2007: 304) notes: "In Teke society the ikwii, or shades of the death, warded off calamities perpetrated by witches. The father of a family invoked the ikwii of his father, mother, and sometimes his mother's brother on behalf of his own children and wives. A shrine to one's deceased family members featured reliquary figures of some of those individuals (buti) along with other items [...].

"Buti were named after and identified with the specific male ancestors whom they embodied.  Generally those individuals were renowned chiefs or leaders whose presence assured thye community's well-being.  The sacred component of buti was composed of earth from the grave of the deceased, which was considered to contain traces of his corporeal being.  [...] As the responsibility of individual family leaders, buti were kept within their owners' home.  Those of a village leader afforded to benefits to the community at large. It appears that, on the death of its owner, a buti was often buried with him along with all his other belongings."