A sublime and very ancient anthropomorphic statuette-pendant, an object of rank of an ancient initiate of the Bwami society of a superb and rare ancient style, decorated on both sides with numerous "circle-dots" characteristic in Lega arts and called kapiga, which were made with a specific knife called kene. This exceptional piece shows a very deep patina, obviously due to its use as a pendant, to the point where the ivory has become translucent, particularly on the upper arms where the necklace's suspension link passed. The rare beauty of this grade sculpture is an opportunity to evoke the concept of Busoga, the beautiful and the good, the ultimate goal of initiation reached at the highest grade level, and a concept that permeates the entire system of thought of the Bwami association; Busoga, the beautiful and the good, is the central concept around which the Bwami moral philosophy of the Lega is built. While Bwami is a philosophy of moderation, it does not practice asceticism, and true greatness is achieved by balancing extremes. See: on kapiga p. 60, and Busoga p. 65 and 66 in Lega Éthique et Beauté au coeur de l'Afrique, Daniel Biebuyck, KBC, 2002 Lega, Democratic Republic of Congo 19th century or earlier Ivory, significant old wear, superb old patina. H. 13 cm Provenance : Acquired between 1956 and 1957 by Mr. V., territorial administrator in Maniema between 1952 and 1959