Mangaaka Power Figure

This Kongo power figure enjoyed a place of honor in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s special exhibition featuring acquisitions made by retiring museum director, Philippe de Montebello. Featured in GREAT MUSEUMS: An Acquiring Mind: Philippe de Montebello and the Metropolitan Museum of Art as well, this 19th century Kongo power figure now fronts the Met’s African art collection, daring the viewer to delve deeper into the African aesthetic. Kongo power figures were the collaborative creations of sculptors and ritual specialists who sought to inspire awe, to intimidate, and to evoke a power without bounds.