Online catalogue for the 53rd tribal art auction

401 Small figure

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Kwese

wood, dark spotty patina, rising from a rectangular base with shortened legs, a cylindrical torso with broad sloping shoulders merging into free worked angled arms, the hands are resting in front ot the belly, crowned by an oval head with a heart-shaped deepened facial plane and elaborate features, min. dam., fissures, slight signs of abrasion, on base; the problem with Kwese sculpture is that, even though there is a Kwese feel if not a Kwese style, the stylistic and typical influence of their neighbours is so strong that most Kwese pieces are ascribed to their neighbours. Some works attributed to the Pende and, to a lesser extent Suku and Mbala, have a certain gentleness that is typically Kwese.

H: 26 cm
H: 10.2 inch

Provenance
Colonial Collection

Literature
Felix, Marc L., 100 Peoples of Zaire and their Sculpture, The Handbook, Brüssel 1987, p. 69

Price: 2800 - 4200 €

402 Small ivory figure

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Lega

spotty honey brown patina, rising from proportionally short legs, showing a cylindrical trunk with the arms carved close to the body, crowned by an oval head with simplified facial features and drilled pupils, min. dam., cracks through age, on base

H: 13 cm
H: 5.1 inch

Provenance
Old Collection, Belgium

Literature
Cameron, Elisabeth L., Art of the Lega, Los Angeles 2001, p. 166 f.

Price: 2400 - 3600 €

403 Head sculpture

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Lega

wood, shiny partly encrusted dark patina, a conical shaped neck is supporting an egg-shaped head with a heart-shaped facial plane, eyes inset with cowrie snails are flanking a straight flat nose with drilled holes, min. dam., cracks, insect caused dam., small missing parts and signs of abrasion, on base

H: 19 cm
H: 7.5 inch

Provenance
Coll. Jacques R. van Overstraeten, Brussels, Belgium

Literature
Biebuyck, Daniel P., Lega - Ethics and Beauty in the Heart of Africa, Ausst.kat. Brüssel 2002, p. 131 f.
Cameron, Elisabeth L., Art of the Lega, Los Angeles 2001, p. 121, ill. 8.13

Price: 3000 - 4500 €

404 Small figure

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Lega

ivory, partly dull dark brown patina, horseshoe-shaped legs supporting a cylindrical trunk with shortened arms, crowned by a neckless rhomb-shaped head with drilled eyes, whole body decorated with tribe-typical drilled ornaments, min. dam., slight signs of abrasion; within men's society "bwami" just members of the level of "kindi" were allowed to possess such ivory figures. Each object was combined with special proverbs implying positive or negative meaning, depending on the context in which they were used.

H: 13,5 cm
H: 5.3 inch

Provenance
Jean-Pierre Lepage, Brussels, Belgium

Literature
Cameron, Elisabeth L., Art of the Lega, Los Angeles 2001, p. 171

Sold.

405 Mask "lukwakongo"

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Lega

wood, shiny dark brown patina, of oval form, underneath a bulging forehead a deepened heart-shaped facial plane with bean-shaped eyes and a small straight nose, zigzagged scarification marks on the cheeks, a opened mouth with visible teeth underneath, pierced around the rim, min. dam., slight signs of abrasion; young men received the "lukwakongo" masks during the "yananio" rites. These masks were the most important insignia of rank until the owner moves to the higher level of "kindi" and trades his wooden mask for an ivory one, called "lukungu". These masks were emblems of rank and visible signs for the connection between the deceased and the living, between former initiates and their successors. They were presented during different stages of initiation.

H: 23,5 cm
H: 9.3 inch

Provenance
American Collection

Price: 3500 - 5300 €

406 Miniature mask "lukwakongo"

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Lega

wood, residues of kaolin, traces of dark brown patina (eyes and nose), of oval form, arching brows and nose bridge giving structure to the facial plane, completed by half-spherical pierced eyes and a small slit mouth, incised cross pattern accentuating the brows, small traces of insect caused damage, hole at the root of the nose, on metal base

H: 15,5 cm
H: 6.1 inch

Provenance
Pierre Dartevelle, Brussels, Belgium

Literature
E. L. Cameron, Art of the Lega, Los Angeles 2001, p. 192, ill. 9.27; p. 184 ff.

Sold.

407 Head sculpture

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Lega

ivory, above a long neck carved with rings there is an oval head with bean-shaped raised eyes, a small mouth underneath an only indicated nose, min. dam., on base

H: 7,5 cm
H: 3 inch

Provenance
Old Collection, Belgium

Literature
Cameron, Elisabeth L., Art of the Lega, Los Angeles 2001, p. 121

Price: 1800 - 2700 €

408 Mask "lukawakongo"

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Lega

light brown wood, kaolin, plant fibers, of narrow elongated form, with the forehead rounded and by widely curved edged brows divided from the rest of the concavely moulded facial plane, a strong bridge of the nose flanked by narrow standing small eyes, pierced around the rim for attachment of a plant fiber beard, min. dam., small fissures

H: 14,5 cm
H: 5.7 inch

Literature
Cameron, Elisabeth L., Art of the Lega, Los Angeles 2001, p. 189

Sold.

409 Anthropomorphic janus-headed figure

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Lega

wood, dark brown patina, spindle-shaped arm- and legless corpus, a massive neck supporting a janus head, showing heart-shaped deepened facial planes with raised circular eyes and narrow ridged noses, slightly dam., cracks (left half of the face on one side), on base; initiation object, belonging to Bwami members of Yananio or Kindi levels, they appear in layered metaphors; they present positive and negative role models within the Bwami ethical system.

H: 14 cm
H: 5.5 inch

Provenance
Private Collection, France

Literature
Cameron, Elisabeth L., Art of the Lega, Los Angeles 2001, p. 117

Sold.

410 Mask "lukwakongo"

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Lega

light brown wood, kaolin with glossy motes, of narrow elongated form, with the forehead rounded and by widely curved edged brows divided from the rest of the concavely moulded facial plane, a small bridge of the nose flanked by narrow standing circular eyes, a small mouth with indicated teeth underneath, pierced around the rim for attachment of a plant fiber beard, min. dam., insect caused damage, slight signs of abrasion

H: 23,5 cm (without beard)
H: 9.3 inch (without beard)

Provenance
Jan Lundberg, Malmö, Sweden
Coll. Carl and Amalie Kjersmeier, Copenhagen, Danmark

Price: 3500 - 5300 €