Crouching Figure

As a sculpture, this work is striking from both frontal and profile perspectives. The artist employed tense forms, repetition, and angularity to suggest a pregnant moment of repose before action. The stillness of the figure is not one of relaxation and calm—despite the serene facial expression—but of tension and anticipation. The seated figure with elbows touching knees was a common pose in sculpture from West and south central Africa during the 19th and early 20th centuries. This work is from the southern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and was carved by a Luluwa, Nsapo, or Songye artist. Most art produced by these groups were privately owned and were employed in pre-colonial times to mediate between the living and the ancestral realm and to impart protection and good fortune onto their owners.