Male Figure (Nkisi Nkondi), Vili people, Central Africa
A carved wooden standing figure with a dark, polished face, wide eyes and a metal-studded head covering. Its body is encrusted with nails, cords, shells, feathers and fabric, and it holds a small box-like packet against its chest. The figure stands on a flat rectangular base, with its surface worn and accumulated materials visible throughout.
- Artist
- Vili
- Date
- Probably early to mid-19th century
- Medium
- Wood, metal, glass, fabric, fiber, cowrie shells, bone, leather, gourd, and feathers
- Source
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Size
- 1686 × 2997 px
Public domain · Art Institute of Chicago releases this image under CC0 (latest date 1875).
Rights checked 2026-11-05 · tier A · as stated by the source: CC0 (Art Institute of Chicago, is_public_domain=true)
Rights checked 2026-11-05 · tier A · as stated by the source: CC0 (Art Institute of Chicago, is_public_domain=true)
Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): Art Institute of Chicago, Ada Turnbull Hertle Endowment
