Kongo-Yombe Maternity Figure Phemba figure provide insight into the interconnected

provide insight into the interconnected cultures of Amri-Nal

of Jukun origin

leaving behind an array of distinctive terracotta funerary art

Sawankhalok wares are celebrated for their elegant forms

Yaëlle Biro

Kongo-Yombe Maternity Figure Phemba figure provide insight into the interconnectedKongo peoples, Yombe subgroup, early to mid. 20th century, Mayombe region, Democratic Republic of the Congo. This exceptional and rare wooden maternity figure, known as phemba (or pfemba), is a powerful embodiment of Kongo Yombe ideals of feminine beauty and spiritual significance. Carved with exquisite detail, the figure depicts a seated mother cradling a child, her legs crossed atop a small base. She tenderly supports the child's head with her right