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Ethnic Design-Authentic Female Fertility figure “Yanda", Zande People, DRC.
$2,156.05
£1,612.76
€1,800
CA$2,970.94
A$3,265.78
CHF 1,714.52
MX$38,832.52
NOK 22,018.35
SEK 20,056.34
DKK 13,717.87
About the Item
Female Fertility figure “Yanda", Zande People, DRC, Old collection n° 394 Baudouin de Grunne .
This highly abstract fertility bust, characterized by a prominent belly, is sculpted from clay and measures just 10.5 cm in height. Its pyramid-shaped head, minimalist in design, features a diamond-shaped face with protruding eyes, often adorned with iron rings in the ears and nose. The torso and neck are either cylindrical or rectangular, with short extremities, and the overall form is marked by angular and abstract lines, depicting a figure in bust with a protruding abdomen.
Zande artists are known for creating small, roughly finished human and animal figures with simplified features and enlarged heads. These sculptures were used by the religious Mani cult, which celebrated the significance of women and utilized figurines called Yanda. The society's leader would infuse the Yanda with power by blowing smoke over it and applying a paste.
This specific piece bears the collection number 394 from the collection of Baudouin de Grunne (1917-2011) of Wezembeek-Oppem, Belgium. De Grunne began collecting African art in 1955, amassing an important collection, many pieces of which have been featured in various catalogues and publications. He was one of the early collectors of African clay objects, some of which are now housed at the Foundation Dapper in Paris (Interview: Galerie Magazine, #2, May 1985:71-80).
The Zande people originated from military conquests beginning around the first half of the eighteenth century, led by two distinct dynasties: the Vungara and the Bandia. While similar in organization, these dynasties differed in their origins and political strategies. Their success was attributed to effective political and military structures rather than technological advancements. Today, they remain a recognized aristocracy in the areas they once dominated.
Cultural influences on the Zande are believed to have come from the Mangbetu, a neighboring group to the south of the Uele River, with whom the Zande had interactions but never conquered. Sporadic encounters with Arab traders began in the late eighteenth century, resulting in the acquisition of firearms but without substantial Arab cultural influence. The first European explorers arrived in the 1860s, and by the late nineteenth century, the Zande found themselves under the rule of three colonial powers—Belgian, French, and Anglo-Egyptian—which established borders that have since been inherited by the modern successor states.
For more information on the Zande, see: Grootaers, Jan-Lodewijk (ed.), "Ubangi. Art and Cultures from the African Heartland," Brussels: Fonds Mercator, 2007.
- Dimensions:Height: 1.86 in (4.7 cm)Width: 3.15 in (8 cm)Depth: 4.14 in (10.5 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:-
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses.
- Seller Location:Leuven , BE
- Reference Number:Seller: 60041stDibs: LU3301146040312
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