Online catalogue for the 60th tribal art auction
331 Zoomorphic friction oracle "itombwa"
D. R. Congo, Lele
light brown wood, dark brown patina, in form of an animal with horns, carved with geometrical ornaments, friction implement missing, min. dam., slight signs of abrasion, minor missing parts; regarded as infallible divinatory instruments, friction oracles were used to mediate between diviners and omniscient nature spirits in order to determine the cause of illness and appropriate courses of treatment and to expose dishonesty.
H: 5 cm; L: 32,5 cm
H: 2 inch; L: 32,2 inch
Provenance
Coll. Carlo Bold, Belgium
Literature
Felix, Marc L., 100 Peoples of Zaire and their Sculpture, The Handbook, Brüssel 1987, p. 75, ill. 6 f.
Price: 600 - 1500 €
332 Face mask
This object is not available any more.
D. R. Congo, Lengola
wood, dark brown patina, of oval hollowed form with a heart-shaped deepened facial plane and chin beard, the face halves dyed with red and white pigment, slightly dam. (nose tip), minor missing parts (mouth, forehead, eyes, backside at the rim), on metal base; the villages of the Lengola are made up of segmented lineages whose chief is the eldest member of the lineage. There is no organized state, and those in power are linked by the "bukota" society, the major social, religious and legal institution in the area. The "bukota" society has many levels, with the highest members acting as judges and organizers for village ceremonies. The masks of the Lengola belong to the "bukota" society.
H: 22 cm
H: 8.7 inch
Provenance
Ketterer, Munich, 1992, lot 434
Mon Steyaert, Brussels, Belgium
Literature
Felix, Marc L., 100 Peoples of Zaire and their Sculpture, The Handbook, Brüssel 1987, p. 76
Sold.
333 Mask "mfondo"
This object is not available any more.
D. R. Congo, Lualwa
wood, dark brown patina, kaolin, of hollowed oval form, crowned by a board-shaped headgear, min. dam., slight signs of abrasion, fissures, on metal base; the small hole underneath the nose was used for attachment of a string, serving to hold the mask with the teeth and fix it in front of the face. These masks were used for initiation of the young boys of the "ngongo" society as well as for fertility- and hunting rites.
H: 44 cm
H: 17.3 inch
Provenance
Joseph Christiaens, Brussels, Belgium
Literature
Hahner-Herzog, Iris, Das Zweite Gesicht, Afrikanische Masken aus der Sammlung Barbier-Mueller, Genf, München, New York 1997, ill. 85
Sold.
334 Big figure
This object is not available any more.
D. R. Congo, Lualwa
heavy wood, partly encrusted reddish brown patina, short legs supporting a bulky, barrel-shaped trunk with accentuated navel, flanked by short arms, the head showing tribe-typical facial features, dam., cracks, traces of insect caused damage, slight sign sof abrasion, on wooden base; figures of the Lualwa are quite rare.
H: 55 cm
H: 21.7 inch
Provenance
Ludwig Bretschneider, Munich, Germany
Private Collection, Germany
Literature
Felix, Marc L., 100 Peoples of Zaire and their Sculpture, The Handbook, Brüssel 1987, p. 95, ill. 6 f.
Sold.
335 Anthropomorphic headrest
This object is not available any more.
D. R. Congo, Luba
wood, saturated reddish and blackish brown shiny patina, male caryatid figure with tube-like curved legs and symmetrical arranged, angle-shaped arms, elaborate carved facial features and coiffure, slightly dam., cracks, missing part (pillow backside); among Luba, aesthetic beauty is not only synonymous with social value, but also often has apotropaic or healing dimensions. The coiffures often contain medicinal substances to empower the figure. Accordingly present headrest has a drilled hole on top. Headrests were owned by Luba rulers and by other persons of high rank with the financial means to afford them.
H: 16,5 cm; D: 13 cm
H: 6.5 inch; D: 5.1 inch
Provenance
Coll. Marceau Rivière, Paris, France
Literature
Baeke, Viviane (ed.), Treasures from the Africa-Museum Tervuren, Tervuren 1995, p. 361
Price: 2000 - 4000 €
336 Caryatid stool
D. R. Congo, Luba
light brown wood, partly shiny patina, black paint, kaolin, couple on disc-shaped base, the male holding a staff in his left hand, the female showing tribe-typical scarification marks on the abdomen, supporting a round seat, rest. (parts of the base replaced), cracks, rep. (seat), slight signs of abrasion
H: 42 cm
H: 16.5 inch
Literature
Neyt, Francois, Luba, Aan de Bronnen van de Zaire, Ausst.kat., Paris 1994, p. 86 f.
Price: 4500 - 9000 €
337 Caryatid stool
D. R. Congo, Luba
wood, mat, dark brown patina, a female figure rising from an oval base, with overlength tube-like arranged arms and big hands supporting an round seat on the head, slightly dam., old place of repair (the left arm fixed with nails), traces of old insect caused damage (bottom of the base), crack; the use of such stools was reserved for special occacions, such as birth, initiation, marriage, or a case of death. They were reserved for a political and spiritual "upper class", such as chiefs, priests, medicine men, healers and dignitaries. They mainly fullfilled representative and/or ritual functions, but were donated to kings or merited dignitaries as well. They were not destined to be shown in public. When not in use, they were wrapped in white cloth and were kept in a safe place.
H: 41 cm, ~ 1900
H: 16.1 inch, ~ 1900
Provenance
Old Private Collection, Canada
Price: 10000 - 20000 €
338 Magical half figure
D. R. Congo, Luba
light brown wood, reddish brown patina, cavity with remains of magical mass on the head, min. dam., traces of insect caused damage; magical materials included items thought to have rare and enhancing life powers, such as pulverized fragments of human bone, or the hair of twins. By supplying the object in this way, the ritual specialist invites the spirit to inhabit the receptacle, which can then be used to assist with particular tasks.
H: 29 cm
H: 11.4 inch
Price: 900 - 1500 €
339 Torso of a female figure
D. R. Congo, Luba
wood, blackish brown patina, the body arranged frontal and symmetrical, the large-scale face slightly turned up, showing well-balanced facial features, the coiffure arranged in a plaited pattern, dam., scratches, paint rubbed off, cracks, breakage (right forearm), on block-like base; the posture of the head and arms, together with the facial features creating a dignified expression.
H: 19 cm
H: 7.5 inch
Price: 2400 - 5000 €
340 Standing female ancestor figure
This object is not available any more.
D. R. Congo, Luba
wood, reddish brown patina with traces of black paint, an elongated trunk, extremely flattened on both sides, the arms emerging from the back with the hands placed on the sides of her breasts, an extremely strong neck supporting a spherical vaulted head with triangular facial plane, the facial features carved flat and concentrated on a rather small area, the coiffure backside arranged cross-shaped, slightly dam. (left eye, cheeks, toes), cracks (right side of head and body), breakage (right arm), missing parts (left heel), on block-like base; the figural carving of the Luba can be divided in two different groups, ritual objects, like the ancestor figures and emblems of power, like figural stools or female bowl bearing figures. The serene expression and the slit-like, nearly closed eyes refer to the world of the ancestors, respectively the world of the death. While the opening on the underside ("crypto-fetish") for insertion of magical mass, is rather referring to a function as power figure. The gesture with the hands up to the breasts refers to the life- and nourishment-giving role of women in Luba society.
H: 39 cm
H: 15.4 inch
Provenance
The Johnson Museum, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA
Coll. Dorothy Brill Robbins, New York, USA
Literature
Roberts, Mary Nooter, Memory, Luba Art and the Making of History, Ausst.kat., New York 1996, p. 42
Agthe, Johanna, Luba Hemba, Werke unbekannter Meister, Frankfurt am Main 1983, ill. 9 f.
Price: 4400 - 8000 €
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