A Rare Ngbaka Harp, Democratic Republic of the Congo

of highly abstract form, with anthropomorphic legs and head protruding from a hollowed torso encased in sections of leather sewn together, the oval face with expressive features, small mouth and almond-shaped eyes; varied dark brown patina.

George Stoecklin, France
Sotheby's New York, November 15, 2002, lot 85A

Cf. Thompson (1974: XIII, pls. 1, 59, and 72) for two closely related harps. For another example in the collection of the UCLA Museum of Cultural History see Brincard (1989: 87, fig. 3). This female figure mose likely represents Seto, the female of the primordial couple, Seto and Nebo, which dominate Ngbaka belief.