Lega Ivory Figure, Democratic Republic of the Congo

made of Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious) tooth.

Collected in situ by Jenö and Rosa Studer-Koch, 1937
Jenö and Rosa Studer-Koch, Zurich
Sotheby's Paris, June 6, 2005, lot 30, consigned by the above
American Private Collection, acquired at the above auction

Miklós Szalay, Die Kunst Schwarzafrikas: Werke aus der Sammlung des Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich, Zurich, 1994, p. 168
Miklós Szalay, Schön hässlich: Gegensätze - afrikanische Kunst aus der Sammlung des Völkerkundemuseums der Universität Zürich, Zurich, 2001, p. 157, cat. 136
Jean Paul Barbier-Mueller, "We, the happy few!", Arts & Cultures, Geneva, 2006, p. 337, fig. 5

Very good condition for an object of this type and age. Minor marks, nicks, scratches, abrasions, and small chips consistent with age and handling. Minor hairline age cracks. Exceptionally fine aged cream-colored patina with darker honey color on reverse, stained in crevices and with encrustation.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Lega iginga statues in ivory are the exclusive and individual property of the initiates of the bwami association, the secret society which governs all aspects of Lega life.  All initiates of the lutumbo lwa kindi rank possess at least one statue of this type, obtained at the time of accession to this very high level.   According to Biebuyck (in MRAC 1995: 381), these statues most often were inherited by the initiate from a deceased parent after having been displayed at the grave of the deceased. 

Each is a mnemonic device associated with a specific aphorism.  Biebuyck (loc. cit.) notes: Lega iginga statues "recall the virtues of the initiated past generations, they maintain rules and moral, social, lawful and philosophical norms defended by their predecessors; they are the links between the past generations and present [and constitute, at last] sacra, sacred objects, filled with vital force."  

The Studer-Koch iginga statue bears a rich and deep patina, evidencing a long period of handling, and was likely already several generations old at the time of its collection in 1937.  Within the corpus of Lega ivory figures, it is distinguished by the unconventional rendering of the limbs in cascadic form, a unique stylistic feature.  Its resonnanace with Modernist sensibilities prompted the French connoisseur Jean Paul Barbier-Mueller (2006: 334) to the following commentary:  "There is no doubt that the Studer-Koch figurine is 'Primitivist' and aggressive in a quite unsettling way.  Indeed, it is not a 'nice object.'  [... Its] face is admirably modeled, its mouth is not lacking in ferocity, and its body is firmly planted on its two bowed legs.  [... It occupies] a unique place in a large and well-known corpus."