Lega Effigy Figure of a Monkey

Thirty-one inches of monkey. Upright, long-armed, and unmistakably in on the joke.

The Lega of the Democratic Republic of Congo carved effigies like this one in the 20th century. Among them, the Bwami society used figures and animal effigies to teach its members, each object tied to proverbs and moral lessons. The monkey stands on slightly bent legs with broad, squared shoulders and long arms ending in large, paddle-like hands. The round head has small eyes, a pointed nose, protruding lips and sharply angled ears. A carved ring encircles the hips.

The surface is a deep, even brown with a soft sheen. Consider what it knows.