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African art items:


We offer you a large selection of unique pieces of African art. Coming from private collections or purchased directly “in situ”, these works are the subject of a special study to determine their provenance as well as their conditions of acquisition. We make it a point of honor to offer our customers quality works of African art, old or contemporary, acquired within the framework of an ethical market. It is the history of these pieces that we invite you to discover through our gallery and websites.

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Chokwe mask
African art > African mask, tribal art, primitive art > Chokwe mask

An emblem of feminine beauty, always worn by initiates of higher rank, this African mask embodying an ancestor is decorated with a headdress representing that, modeled in clay, of the Tschokwe women. Dark brown satin patina. Abrasions. Height on base: 36 cm.
The African masks Chokwe pwo, among the many akishi masks (sing: mukishi, indicating power) of African Chokwe art, embody an ideal of beauty, Mwana Pwo, or the Pwo woman and appear today during festive ceremonies. The pwo are supposed to bring fertility and prosperity to the community. The characteristic motifs present on the forehead, and sometimes on the cheekbones, are part of the Chokwe aesthetic canons but also served as public markers of ethnic identity. The recurring cruciform frontal motif would also have a cosmogonic ...


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180.00

Comb Kwere
African art > Used objects, pulleys, boxes, loom, awale > Comb Kwere

French African art collection.
Prestigious African comb with a traditional doll motif. Light brown satin smooth patina. The Zaramo and the tribes around them designed dolls generally associated with fertility, but to which other virtues would be attributed. Its primary role is played during the period of confinement of the young initiate Zaramo. The novice will behave towards the object as with a child, and will dance with it during the closing ceremonies of the initiation. In case the young woman does not conceive, she will adopt the "child". Among the Zaramo, this carved motif is repeated on the top of canes, decorates ritual objects, such as combs, hairpins, and even appears on burial posts.


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95.00

Luba Comb
African art > Used objects, pulleys, boxes, loom, awale > Luba Comb

Belgian African art collection.
African tribal art proves to us once again that any everyday object can become an artistic medium. The decorative aspect of an object is never its intrinsic function. In African art, any everyday object can be transformed into a masterpiece while retaining its usefulness. The major role played by women in the political life of the kingdom is illustrated by the recurrence of the feminine motif in Luba art. The latter, which stood out for its prestige and quality, therefore greatly influenced neighboring groups. This comb is carved with a protective effigy embodying a political and spiritual intermediary, a role held by women in Luba royalty. Her headdress, behind a wide headband revealing a shaved forehead, evokes one of those worn by Luba women at ...


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95.00

Nkishi Fetish
African art > The fetish, this emblematic object of primitive art > Nkishi Fetish

The result of cooperation between the nganga, the sculptor and the client, this African statuette songye was loaded with bishimba elements and accessories intended to reinforce its action. Brown patina, cracks and losses.
The fetish Songye, protective sculpture Nkisi, nkishi (pl. mankishi), plays the role of mediator between gods and men. The large specimens are the collective property of an entire village, the smaller figures belong to an individual or a family. In the 16th century, the Songyes migrated from the Shaba region to settle in Kasai, Katanga and South Kivu. Their history is inseparable from that of the Luba, to whom they are related through common ancestors.


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160.00

Kwele Mask
African art > African mask, tribal art, primitive art > Kwele Mask

Ex-French collection of African art African mask Kwele Pipibuze, Pipibudze, ("the man") symbolizing the light and clairvoyance required to overcome witchcraft. The zoomorphic attributes evoke the antelope or duinker, the main game of the kwele region. This type of mask was not always intended to be worn, but decorated the walls of the huts. Two-tone patina, erosions.
Depending on the presence of horns and their arrangement, the masks are called pibibudzé, Ekuku zokou, etc... and are associated with the ancestors or spirits of the forest, " ekuk ". A tribe of the Kota group, the Kwélé, Bakwélé, live in the forest on the northern border of the Republic of Congo. They live from hunting, agriculture and metallurgy. Practicing the cult called Bwété borrowed from the Ngwyes, ...


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280.00

Ijaw Mask
African art > African mask, tribal art, primitive art > Ijaw Mask

French collection of African art . Mask depicting an imaginary creature with deformed features. It would seem that some lateral elements (ears?) have come loose. Matt patina of use, cracks and erosions. Height on base: 40 cm.
The Ijo live mainly from fishing and agriculture on the southern coast of Nigeria, their villages are located in marshy areas west of the Nun River. References to their warlike and commercial past abound in reliquaries, rituals and masked celebrations. Their masks and other artistic productions are intended to honor the aquatic spirits, otojo, whom they venerate and to whom sacrifices were intended. The fishermen had to be careful not to offend these spirits, otherwise they could unleash their wrath on the various dangerous animal species in the region, such as ...


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280.00

Lega spoon
African art > Spoons, ladles > Lega spoon

Among the Lega, the African sculptures were intended for an initiate of the Bwami , among the many other statuettes used during the initiations.

Height on base: 33 cm.
The teacher guided the aspirant to a place where masks and statuettes were displayed, and it was through careful observation that the future initiate had to guess the more or less complex meaning of the metaphors evoked by the sculptures, the latter largely referring to proverbs and sayings. Each of these initiations took place over seven days and included at least seven performances. The objects "won" individually were then kept in a woven bag carried on the shoulder, in a basket for those won collectively.


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180.00

Bambara mask
African art > African mask, tribal art, primitive art > Bambara mask

African animal mask associated with the secrets of the bush. Lustrous patina of use, abraded on the corners. Cracks of desiccation.
Established in central and southern Mali, in a savannah zone, the Bambara, "Bamana" or "unbelievers" as the Muslims have called them, belong to the large Mande group, along with the Soninke and the Malinke. Mostly farmers, but also breeders, they make up the largest ethnic group in Mali. Groups of Bambara artisans nyamakala , more specifically the blacksmiths named numu , are in charge of sculpting ritual objects, endowed with nyama , occult energy. Using fire and magical objects, the role of healer and diviner is also attributed to them Six male associations, the Dyow , using Bambara masks, structure the Bambara community: young people first ...


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150.00

Luguru statue
African art > African statues : tribal fetish, maternity > Luguru statue

African sculpture from the area around Dar-es-Salam, on the coast of Tanzania, where the Kaguru, Luguru, Kwéré, Zaramo and Doé tribes live. Carved in dense wood, this figure depicts a female figure carrying a child in her arms. The realistic features are slightly asymmetrical, the pupils deeply sunken, and the caps are pushed back. The protruding, disproportionate ears are cut obliquely. One arm of the child is missing. Matte patina of use, grainy residual encrustations, drippings from libations. Desication cracks.


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280.00

Dogon Staff
African art > Stick of command, chieftaincy > Dogon Staff

The prestigious domolo crosier worn by Dogon men on their shoulders and sometimes found on altars and in binu sanctuaries recalls the insignia of the yona association. , the Yo domolo , or even Yo dyommodo , which forms the emblem of the "ritual thieves". These hoe-shaped emblems evoke a horse's head, the primordial animal of creation. Ritual patina, residual encrustations. Desication cracks.
The Dogon are a people renowned for their cosmogony, their esotericism, their myths and legends. Their population is estimated at around 300,000 souls living in the southwest of the Niger bend in the Mopti region of Mali. The Dogon blacksmiths form an endogamous caste called irim They now produce weapons, tools, and also work with wood.
"Masters of fire", they are also supposed to ...


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180.00

Chokwe Mask
African art > African mask, tribal art, primitive art > Chokwe Mask

Belgian collection of African art
Lustrous red-brown patina. Abrasions and minor accidents.
The Chokwe pwo masks are among the many akishi (or mukishi, for the singular) masks of Chokwe African art . They embody an ideal of feminine beauty, symbolized by Mwana Pwo , or the Pwo woman, and are often presented during festive ceremonies. Pwo masks are associated with fertility and prosperity, playing an important role in community life.
This mask is accompanied here by its braided raffia headdress. The characteristic motifs present on the forehead, and sometimes on the cheekbones, are essential elements of Chokwe aesthetic canons. They also served as public markers of ethnic identity. The recurring cruciform frontal motif has a cosmogonic significance, according to some ...


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180.00

 Buffalo Mask
African art > animal mask > Buffalo Mask

African mask of the Tabwas associated with power and vigor. Matte patina of use, red and white ochre highlights.
Height on base: 56 cm, depth: 38 cm.
The Tabwa ("scarify" and "write") are an ethnic group present in the South-East of the DRC, around Lake Tanganyika. The tribes of this region, such as the Tumbwe, worship the mipasi ancestors through sculptures held by the chiefs. Simple farmers without centralized power, the Tabwa federated around tribal chiefs after having been influenced by the Luba, whose beliefs they integrated. It was mainly during this period that their artistic movement was expressed mainly through statues but also masks. Animists, their beliefs are anchored around the ngulu, spirits of nature present in plants and rocks.


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380.00

Tschokwe mask
African art > African mask, tribal art, primitive art > Tschokwe mask

br>African Chokwe pwo masks, among the many akishi masks (sing: mukishi, indicating power) of African Chokwe tribal art, are exclusively female representations which were accompanied by accessories and finery. Together with their male counterparts, cihongo recognizable by their large plate-shaped headdress, the pwo must bring fertility and prosperity to the community. The characteristic patterns present on the forehead, and sometimes on the cheekbones, are part of the Chokwe aesthetic canons but also served as public markers of ethnic identity. This recurring cruciform frontal motif would also carry a cosmogonic significance. Always worn by initiates of higher rank, these feminine masks were often decked out with buttons and accessories of European origin. Teeth cut to a point used to ...


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190.00

Ewe figure
African art > African statues : tribal fetish, maternity > Ewe figure

Ex-Belgian African art collection.
An evocation of the missing twin, thisfemale statuette has a light patina on which faint colored residues remain. Cracked base.

The Ewe, often confused with the Minas, are the largest ethnic group in Togo. They are also found as minorities in Ghana, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire and Nigeria. Although we have little historical information about them, it seems that their establishment in their current location results from invasions and conflicts that broke out during the 17th century. The Ewe regard the birth of twins called Venavi (or Venovi) as a happy omen. The latter must be treated identically and fairly. For example, both will be fed and washed at the same time and will wear the same clothes until puberty.
If one of the two twins dies, ...


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240.00

Statue Songye
African art > African statues : tribal fetish, maternity > Statue Songye

African art and fetishes nkisi
This fetish statue Nkisi , nkishi (pl. mankishi) does not seem to have passed into the hands of the fetishist, the umbilical, hollowed out in cup, not having a magic charge. Other elements strengthening its "power ", and associated with rituals, such as horn, necklaces, insertion or metal veneer, being also absent. The particularity of these objects most often resides in the angular treatment of the form, the imposing triangular face whose chin blends into the beard, the mouth cracks raised in rictus, and the attitude deported to the front of the bulging belly. Dark brown patina with blackish residual inlays, satin touch. Desication cracks.

These home protection fetishes are among the most prized in Africa. Nkisi plays the role of mediator ...


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240.00

Dogon oil lamp
African art > Used objects, pulleys, boxes, loom, awale > Dogon oil lamp

French collection of African art. Cups are stacked around a flat stem, crusty oil residues have stuck together in the cups. The object was used as a lamp using shea oil or butter and a cotton wick. Old crusty matte patina.
Dogon blacksmiths form an endogamous caste among the Dogon called irim.Today they produce weapons, tools, and also work wood. "Masters of fire" associated in the Dogon cosmogony with the primordial beings "Nommo" created by the god Ama, they are also supposed to heal burns. Small metal objects, made using the lost wax technique, were widespread in the region of the inner Niger Delta, copper arriving there thanks to trans-Saharan trade. Excavations on the Bandiagara Plateau have in fact uncovered remains of steelmaking sites dating back to before the 15th ...


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480.00

Kachina Mask
African art > African mask, tribal art, primitive art > Kachina Mask

Ex-collection of French tribal decoration.
Witnesses to the traditions of the Hopi Indian peoples of Arizona, the Katsinam sculpted objects (song. Kachina ) are expressed during traditional dances accompanying the annual festivals in favor of rain. This Hopi-inspired mask has a helmet framed by a beak and mobile ears. The colors would indicate the nature of the spirit represented. The patina is matte, abrasions and cracks.


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390.00

Bamana Lock
African art > Dogon locks, Bambara locks > Bamana Lock

From the African art collection of the painter Amadeo Plaza Garcés, anthropomorphic Bambara targette, formed of two nested elements. The crosspiece is reinforced with a metal part in the upper sliding part. The locks, generally belonging to women and symbolizing the union of two people, can be offered to them by their husbands on the occasion of a birth or to celebrate the installation of the woman with her husband. These are therefore personal goods that can be transmitted to daughters and daughters-in-law.
Beautiful heterogeneous patina, granular residual deposits, abrasions from use.
Established in central and southern Mali, the Bambara, "Bamana" or "unbelievers", as the Muslims have named them, belong to the large Mande group, along with the Soninke and the Malinke.


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180.00

Idoma Crest
African art > African mask, tribal art, primitive art > Idoma Crest

Ex-German collection of African art .
Crest mask of a rare type, with a satin, polychrome patina that varies from pink to orange with dark highlights. Kaolin encrustations remain on the surface. An orifice crosses the part to the top of the cap. Minor cracking.

The Idoma established themselves at the confluence of the Benué and the Niger. Numbering 500,000, they are made up of farmers and traders. The neighborhood and therefore the influences of the Igbo, those of the Cross River and Igala ethnic groups have generated stylistic borrowings. Royal lineage members of their oglinye society, glorifying courage, use masks and crests during funerals and festivities. They also produced fertility statues with whitened faces and displaying incised teeth. Janiform crests are ...


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240.00

Idoma Crest
African art > African mask, tribal art, primitive art > Idoma Crest

Borrowed from the Igbo of the Cross River, Idoma crest masks also relate to warrior masquerades. A double rattan rim forms the base of the mask symbolizing a water spirit, anjenu,. The scarification which divides the forehead is typical of the Idoma, as well as the protruding scars of the temples.

The Idoma settled at the confluence of the Béné and Niger. Royal lineage members of their oglinye society, glorifying courage, use masks and crests during funerals and festivities. Janiform crests are generally displayed at the funerals of notables. Members of the male Kwompten society, for their part, used statues called goemai as part of healing rituals. Crusty matt patina. Minor erosions and cracking.
Ref. “Nigerian Arts” 5Continents.


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240.00

Kasongo Statue
African art > African statues : tribal fetish, maternity > Kasongo Statue

The Hemba, Kusu and Kasongo have a fairly similar artistic tradition, and some of their kakudji sculptures were inspired by Songye fetishes. However, this would be a statue of an ancestor that the Kasongo, a Kusu subgroup, placed on altars. Distinguishing the Kasongo sculpture, the face extended by a long beard. Abrasions and desiccation cracks.
The Kusu established on the left bank of the Lualaba have borrowed the artistic traditions of the Luba and the Hemba and have a caste system similar to that of the Luba. The Kasongo form a Kusu subgroup, now dispersed among the Luba, Songye and Hemba.


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240.00