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Sculpture

Male Figure (Nkisi Nkondi)

Kongo: Vili Republic of the Congo Central Africa. Probably early to mid-19th century. Wood, metal, glass, fabric, fiber, cowrie shells, bone, leather, gourd, and feathers. Explore the catalogue record, image rights and documented connections from The Art Institute of Chicago.

Male Figure (Nkisi Nkondi)Kongo: Vili Republic of the Congo Central Africa · Probably early to mid-19th centuryThe Art Institute of Chicago · CC0
Image & source
A wooden carving of a male figure. The figure has a distinctive face, with oval-shaped eyes and mouth, and wears a cap on his head. His body is covered in various shells, bones, feathers, fabric, and metal nails, and he holds a mirror-sealed resin packet over his stomach.

Sculpture / Source record

Male Figure (Nkisi Nkondi)

Read the catalogue and evidence →
Maker
Kongo: Vili Republic of the Congo Central Africa
Date
Probably early to mid-19th century
Medium
Wood, metal, glass, fabric, fiber, cowrie shells, bone, leather, gourd, and feathers
Collection
The Art Institute of Chicago
Accession
1998.502
Credit
Ada Turnbull Hertle Endowment
Rights
Public domain · CC0

Public domain · CC0. Unchanged copy of the institution’s verified web image; smaller responsive JPEGs are resized derivatives. Full-resolution image remains linked to the institution. Editorial views may show a detail.

Institution’s full-resolution image ↗Museum reuse policy ↗

Institutional rights designation checked 2026-10-17. Catalogue descriptions are normalized from source data; visual interpretation may be unassessed.

Original museum record ↗Read the CC0 dedication ↗

A record, with reasons

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Catalogue knowledge

Normalized from the museum’s record.

SculptureObject type

Sculpture is a type of object named in the museum catalogue.

An explicitly supplied catalogue description, normalized conservatively. It does not independently establish attribution, completeness, symbolism or historical influence.

The Art Institute of Chicago supplies “Sculpture” in its object type field. This label was normalized by the documented import rule.

Sculpture

Catalogue: The Art Institute of Chicago. Automated source-field normalization; no independent visual interpretation.
Source normalization checked 2026-10-21 · 2026-10-20.1

WoodMaterial

Wood is a material named in the museum catalogue.

An explicitly supplied catalogue description, normalized conservatively. It does not independently establish attribution, completeness, symbolism or historical influence.

The Art Institute of Chicago supplies “Wood, metal, glass, fabric, fiber, cowrie shells, bone, leather, gourd, and feathers; wood (plant material); plant material; glass; leather; animal material; fiber; cowrie shell; bone; feather; gourd; metal; cloth” in its medium/materials field. This label was normalized by the documented import rule.

Wood, metal, glass, fabric, fiber, cowrie shells, bone, leather, gourd, and feathers; wood (plant material); plant material; glass; leather; animal material; fiber; cowrie shell; bone; feather; gourd; metal; cloth

Catalogue: The Art Institute of Chicago. Automated source-field normalization; no independent visual interpretation.
Source normalization checked 2026-10-21 · 2026-10-20.1

GlassMaterial

Glass is a material named in the museum catalogue.

An explicitly supplied catalogue description, normalized conservatively. It does not independently establish attribution, completeness, symbolism or historical influence.

The Art Institute of Chicago supplies “Wood, metal, glass, fabric, fiber, cowrie shells, bone, leather, gourd, and feathers; wood (plant material); plant material; glass; leather; animal material; fiber; cowrie shell; bone; feather; gourd; metal; cloth” in its medium/materials field. This label was normalized by the documented import rule.

Wood, metal, glass, fabric, fiber, cowrie shells, bone, leather, gourd, and feathers; wood (plant material); plant material; glass; leather; animal material; fiber; cowrie shell; bone; feather; gourd; metal; cloth

Catalogue: The Art Institute of Chicago. Automated source-field normalization; no independent visual interpretation.
Source normalization checked 2026-10-21 · 2026-10-20.1

LeatherMaterial

Leather is a material named in the museum catalogue.

An explicitly supplied catalogue description, normalized conservatively. It does not independently establish attribution, completeness, symbolism or historical influence.

The Art Institute of Chicago supplies “Wood, metal, glass, fabric, fiber, cowrie shells, bone, leather, gourd, and feathers; wood (plant material); plant material; glass; leather; animal material; fiber; cowrie shell; bone; feather; gourd; metal; cloth” in its medium/materials field. This label was normalized by the documented import rule.

Wood, metal, glass, fabric, fiber, cowrie shells, bone, leather, gourd, and feathers; wood (plant material); plant material; glass; leather; animal material; fiber; cowrie shell; bone; feather; gourd; metal; cloth

Catalogue: The Art Institute of Chicago. Automated source-field normalization; no independent visual interpretation.
Source normalization checked 2026-10-21 · 2026-10-20.1

CarvingTechnique

Carving is a making process named in the museum catalogue.

An explicitly supplied catalogue description, normalized conservatively. It does not independently establish attribution, completeness, symbolism or historical influence.

The Art Institute of Chicago supplies “Wood, metal, glass, fabric, fiber, cowrie shells, bone, leather, gourd, and feathers; carving; appliqué (technique); painting (coating); adhesion; assembling” in its medium/techniques field. This label was normalized by the documented import rule.

Wood, metal, glass, fabric, fiber, cowrie shells, bone, leather, gourd, and feathers; carving; appliqué (technique); painting (coating); adhesion; assembling

Catalogue: The Art Institute of Chicago. Automated source-field normalization; no independent visual interpretation.
Source normalization checked 2026-10-21 · 2026-10-20.1

Visual observation

Observations of the displayed image.

Not yet assessed.

Artologium reading

Authored connections, open to interpretation.

Not yet assessed.

These descriptions belong to this object and its selected image. Unlisted features may be unassessed. Editorial observations and readings were developed with AI assistance; they do not establish the maker’s intent.