Butti Figure (Medicine Container)
Artist
Teke peoples
(Congolese)
CultureAfrican
DateEarly- to mid-20th century
MediumWood
DimensionsOverall: 15 3/4 in. (40 cm)
Credit LineGift of Dr. Lillian Malcove
Object number55.50.1
Collections
Not on view
DescriptionAfrican carved wooden standing figurine of a bearded man. Wood is reddish in color. Bateke tribe, Belgian Congo.Label TextMale Figure (Butti) Early- to mid-20th century Teke peoples Democratic Republic of the Congo Wood Gift of Dr. Lillian Malcove 55.50.1 Carved figures such as this one bear the same facial patterns as the scarification patterns on the faces of Teke men. The beard and triangular nose also identify this figure as one produced by the Teke, but its most significant detail is the empty cavity carved into its abdomen. This cavity would have been filled with a variety of sacred and symbolic ingredients, including parts of animals and plants. These items, chosen expressly for their magical powers, would have been sealed in the cavity with cloth or resin in a sacred ritual. Before the cavity is filled, the figure is known as a tege, and afterwards it is referred to as a butti, a name which signifies its magical power. Made exclusively for men, the butti would be kept in the owner's hut to protect him from illness and misfortune. ProvenanceGift- December 5, 1955. Dr. Lillian Malcove Exhibition History"Sankofa: Constructing Modern African Art," Hampton University Museum, Hampton, VA, fall 2024 - spring 2025.
