The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of June 9, 2026

A polished dark wood carving features a standing male figure with a rectangular block of pitted resin bound to his chest by tan cloth strips. A ridged, curved headpiece rests atop his head, and reflective glass is inlaid in his eyes. The figure's smooth, dark limbs contrast with the rough, organic mass. Facing left, he stands on a small wooden base, his arms hidden behind the bulky attachment.

Male Figure (Nkisi)

late 1800s-early 1900s

Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo , Cabinda, or Republic of the Congo, probably Yombe-style maker

(most likely)
Wood, organic material (including resin), metalized glass, and cloth
Overall: 17 x 5.3 x 7 cm (6 11/16 x 2 1/16 x 2 3/4 in.)
René and Odette Delenne Collection, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund 2010.434
Location: 108A African

Did You Know?

The medicinal substances remain intact in this particular figure, which is rare, as most were decommissioned before museum acquisition.

Description

Nkisi is often associated with the word spirit, as these figures are believed to host a variety ancestral spirits. With an intact mirror-covered stomach cavity, this figure was not decommissioned before sale or disposal, deeming its particular powers sustained. The cloth knots and carvings suggest that it was used to bind agreements or oaths, and to reconcile social and cosmological contradictions.
  • ?–1972
    (René De Wolf, Brussels, BE, sold to René and Odette Delenne)
    1972–2010
    René [1901-1998] and Odette Delenne [1925-2012], Brussels, BE, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    2010–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Petridis, Constantine, et al. Fragments of the Invisible: The René and Odette Delenne Collection of Congo Sculpture. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art. Milan: 5 Continents Editions, 2013, 50. Mentioned: pp. 23, 46-47, 113; reproduced: p. 50, cat. 10
  • Fragments of the Invisible: The René and Odette Delenne Collection of Congo Sculpture. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 27, 2013-February 9, 2014).
  • {{cite web|title=Male Figure (Nkisi)|url=false|author=|year=late 1800s-early 1900s|access-date=09 June 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2010.434