Nail figure (nkisi nkondi) / Artist Unknown, Vili Peoples, Democratic Republic of the Congo
About this Item
Record Details
- Accession Number
- 2005/1.192
- Title
- Nail figure (nkisi nkondi)
- Artist Nationality
- Congolese
- Medium and Support
- wood, iron nails, blades and fragments, fiber cord
- Object Creation Date
- circa 1850
- Object Creation Place
- Africa (continent)
- Congo, Democratic Republic of the (nation)
- Creation Place 1
- Africa (continent)
- Creation Place 2
- Congo, Democratic Republic of the (nation)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern
- Dimensions
- 103.5 cm x 35 cm x 25.5 cm (40 3/4 in. x 13 3/4 in. x 10 1/16 in.)
- Century
- Late 19th century
- Primary Object Classification
- Sculpture
- Primary Object Type
- minkisi
- Secondary Object Classification
- Sculpture
- Secondary Object Type
- minkondi
- Physical Description
- Wood-carved, standing male figure 40 inches in height. Its shoulders and torso are impaled with iron blades, nails and fragments. The torso is long, arms at side are bent at elbow and hands rest on lower abdomen. The right wrist wears a bracelet with attachments. The legs are truncated, with twisted metal anklet on right foot. The face is naturalistic, the mouth slightly open, the nose long and narrow with slightly flared nostrils. Eyes are almost shaped, may have had inlay that is now gone. The top of the head shows a tiered, "layer cake like" coiffure. The figure has a long and deep crack down the entire length of its left side, from top of the head to the left ankle.
- Subject Matter
- An nkisi is a spirit personality or force with the power to harm, heal or protect. It was summoned by a medicinal specialist or nganga, who used figures such as this to materialize the nkisi, make it approachable, and activate its powers. The nkondi (meaning "hunter") was the most aggressive and feared type of nkisi, which used its clairvoyance and powers of destruction to hunt down and punish witches, criminals, and other wrong-doers. By pounding a blade or nail into its body, the nganga aroused the nkondi, and sent it on its nocturnal pursuit. The nkondi’s other job was to witness the taking of oaths and bind individuals to their word. Blades were driven into the figure to “seal” a pact or treaty that was made in its presence. Any person who failed to respect such an agreement would suffer the nkondi’s violent retribution.
- Primary Keywords
- blades
- figure (representation)
- minkisi
- minkondi
- nails and spikes
- occult power
- ritual
- spirits
- Secondary Keywords
- associated concepts
- components
- components and systems
- components by specific context
- descriptors
- events
- fetish figures
- object genres
- object genres by form
- objects we use
- people and culture
- religions and religious concepts
- religious concepts
- sculpture
- sculpture by function
- tool and equipment components
- visual works
- visual works by medium or technique
- visual works by subject type
- Rights
- If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/about/services/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Technical Details
- Collection
- University of Michigan Museum of Art
- Image Size
- 1206 x 2748
- File Size
- 441 KB
- Record
- 2005/1.192
- Link to this Item
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-2005-sl-1.192/2005_1_192.jpg
Rights and Permissions
Related Links
Portfolios
- In public portfolios
IIIF
- Manifest
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:2005-SL-1.192
Cite this Item
View the Help Guide for more information.
- Full citation
-
"Nail figure (nkisi nkondi); Artist Unknown, Vili Peoples, Democratic Republic of the Congo." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-2005-sl-1.192/2005_1_192.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 23, 2025.
