Female figure standing with arms raised

Title: Standing Female Figure with Raised Arms
Origin: Central Africa, Luba area (DR Congo)
Date: First half of the 20th century
Material: Sculpted wood
Technique: Carving, engraving
Dimensions: H. 51 x 13 x 11 cm
Interpretation and Function: In Luba tradition, female figures with raised arms could be used as supports for ritual objects or as symbolic representations related to fertility and ancestor worship. The posture with raised hands can represent a gesture of invocation or offering to the spirits, while bodily marks (scarifications) emphasize ethnic identity and status. These figures, often commissioned by chiefs or dignitaries, played a role in investiture rituals and could hold meanings related to historical memory and the transmission of power.
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