Buyu Male Ancestor Figure, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Marcia and Irwin Hersey, New York
Sotheby's, New York, May 20, 1987, lot 154, consigned by the above
Mauricio and Emilia Lasansky, Iowa City, acquired at the above auction
By descent to the present owners

Very good condition for an object of this type and age. Age crack running from proper right side of the neck through the crevice where right arm meets the body. Underside is eroded on reverse. Marks, nicks, scratches, and abrasions consistent with age and ritual handling. Exceptionally fine glossy, dark reddish brown patina with encrustation. Drilled underneath for the insertion of two pins attaching to base.
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.

The art of the Buyu (alternately known as Boyo or Buye) people is famous for its elegant and highly cubistic aesthetics. Located at the sources of the Luama river, from the east of Bangubangu territory to the northwestern border of Lake Tanganyika in present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Buyu live at the heart of one of the most artistic areas of the Congo. Their aesthetic tradition is closely linked to the Hemba, Luba, Tumbwe, and Tabwa, to name but a few.

According to LaGamma (2002: 75), "Boyo communities within the Democratic Republic of the Congo, situated along the western banks of Lake Tanganyika, are a complex blend of peoples and cultural identities. The extensive cultural interaction that underlies their heritage has led to some dispute regarding the definition and place of Boyo sculptural traditions within the broader context of the region's art history. Although scholars have described Boyo sculpture as "proto-Luba," suggesting that it might have served as the basis for related traditions in present-day southwest Democratic Republic of the Congo, there is also the idea that it was significantly informed by those same traditions.

"Boyo communities were once renowned for their series of majestic royal ancestral representations that varied stylistically from one community to another. As with comparable traditions among the Tumbwe, Tabwa, and Hemba peoples, these ancestral ensembles, which comprised between four and seven works each, were protected in small funerary enclosures. Individual sculptures were named after the particular ancestors they invoked. [...] The prominence of the closed eyes refers to the subject's status as a being endowed with a heightened sense of the spiritual realm."