African Arts Gallery

Ex-Belgian collection of African art Funerary statue named Kitumba, of which the same type called niongi among the Yombé, formed female and male sculptures which decorated the tombs of notables. Matte patina. Erosions and cracks. The Vili, the Lâri, the Sûndi, the Woyo, the Bembé, the Bwende, the Yombé and the Kôngo formed the Kôngo group, led by king ntotela. Their kingdom reached its peak in the 16th century with the trade in ivory, copper and the slave trade. With the same beliefs and traditions, they produced statuary with codified gestures in relation to their vision of the world. The Woyo, however, are distinguished by their symbolic sculptures associated with proverbs and their emblems of power, including canes and fly swatters.
Ref. : “The Kongo Gesture” ed. Dapper Museum; ...

Devoid of the horn that rose from its skull, this anthropomorphic sculpture offers the peculiarity of a cylindrical bust, without arms, extended by a ringed neck bearing a massive head to the features of the large kifwebe mask of Songye. The latter has projection strokes. At the top remain resinous drippings mixed with ritual kaolin. A recurrence: oversized feet protruding from the circular base. Semi-mate patina, velvety. Abrasions, erosions and cracks.
These protective fetishes for homes are among the most popular in Africa. Nkisi plays the role of mediator between gods and men. Large specimens are the collective property of an entire village, while smaller figures belong to an individual or family. In the 16th century, the Songyes migrated from the Shaba region to settle on the ...

This type of tribal statue providing protection against enemies was made according to the instructions of the Nganga ngoombu and the sponsor of the object. This powerful tribal art object was then activated using rituals and incantatory formulas. Satin patina. Slight lack (foot).
Hierarchical and authoritarian, made up of formidable warriors, Yaka society was governed by lineage leaders with the right to life and death over their subjects. Hunting and the prestige that results from it are nowadays an opportunity for the Yaka to invoke the ancestors and to resort to rituals using charms linked to the "khosi" institution. The youth initiation society is the n-khanda, which is found among the eastern Kongo (Chokwe, Luba, etc.), and which uses various charms and masks for the purpose ...

French collection of African art
Made in bronze, this African statuette represents a notable of the Kuba court, perhaps a wife or an ancestor of royal blood, kneeling. The green patina is speckled. Here and there clay residues are noted. The Kuba, established between the Sankuru and Kasaï rivers, are made up of several tribes such as the Bushoong, Ngeendé, Binji, Wongo, Kété, etc. Each of these tribes produced a variety of sculptures related to royalty, including statues, prestige objects, and masks decorated with geometric designs.

Kneeling subject promoting lineage. The flared hairstyle is that of the Totshi chiefs belonging to the ikoho association and evokes particular proverbs. It symbolizes respect, intelligence and maturity. The patterns engraved in relief refer to the scarifications which socially and aesthetically distinguished individuals. Golden patina. A people from Central Africa established in Kasai, neighboring the Kuba, the Ndengese form one of the clans descended from a common Mongo ancestor, some of them being originally of the Upper Nile. They produced primitive art statues with absent or truncated lower limbs, covered with graphic symbols, symbolizing the prestige of the leader. Ref.: “Treasures of Africa” Tervuren Museum.

De verschillende soorten Afrikaanse beelden Luluwa, Lulua of Béna Lulua, met meerdere scarificaties, verheerlijken lokale leiders, moederschap, vruchtbaarheid en de vrouwelijke figuur. Dit Afrikaanse moederschap wordt in verband gebracht met de Buanga bua cibola-cultus en zou volgens de Lulua kinderen en zwangere vrouwen beschermen. Het personage benadrukt een prominente buik, het centrum van het lichaam en "object van alle zorg" (De kracht van het heilige, M.Faïk-Nzuji) Grijsbruin patina.
Het is in het zuiden van de Democratische Republiek Congo dat de Lulua, of Béna Lulua, uit West-Afrika zich vestigden. . Hun sociale structuur, gebaseerd op kaste, is vergelijkbaar met die van de Luba. Ze produceerden weinig maskers, maar meestal beeldjes van voorouders die de ideale ...

Among the Luluwa, Lulua, or even Béna Lulua, various types of African statues with multiple scarifications glorify local chiefs, motherhood, fertility and the female figure. This African sculpture depends on the Buanga bua cibola cult of the Lulua in order to protect children and the pregnant woman. The subject has an umbilical hernia, the abdomen being the center of the body and "object of all solicitude" (The power of the sacred, M. Faïk-Nzuji ) Light brown patina.
Desication cracks and erosions.
It is in the south of the Democratic Republic of Congo that the Lulua, or Béna Lulua, from West Africa settled. . Their social structure, based on caste, is similar to that of the Luba. They produced few masks, but mostly statuettes of ancestors representing the ideal warrior, ...

Devoid of its mystical "Bonga" charge, the cavity of this teke-type sculpted figure makes the bust protrude in powerful volume, seeming to bend thick legs. Under the headdress, the face with its clear, bulging gaze offers cubist features. Smooth dark mahogany patina. Lacks, drying crack.
Established between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon, the Téké were organized into chiefdoms whose leader was often chosen from among the blacksmiths. The head of the family, mfumu, had the right of life or death over his family, the importance of which determined his prestige. The chief of the clan, Ngantsié, kept the great protective fetish Tar Mantsié which supervised all the ceremonies. It is the powerful sorcerer, healer and soothsayer who "charged" the individual statuettes with ...

Ex-Belgian collection of African art African statuette associated with the ancestor and mythical hero, founder of the ethnic group, Chibinda Ilunga. The head, with oversized palms and feet, has a noble headdress with curved side wings (cipenya-mutwe), wicker frame covered with fabric, brass, leather, and pearls. The chief had taught his people the art of hunting.
Brilliant nuanced brown patina, erosions and desiccation cracks.
The Tschokwe, of Bantu culture, had established themselves in eastern Angola, but also in the Congo and Zambia. Following different alliances, they mingled with the Lunda who taught them hunting. Their social organization also affected Tschokwe society. The Tschokwe, however, ended up dominating the Lunda, whose kingdom was dismantled at the end of ...

Ex.French collection of African art
Fang sculpture evoking a prestigious ancestor. This type of work was placed on reliquary baskets. Abraded brown patina, desiccation cracks.
Among the Fang of Cameroon and Gabon, each family has a "Byeri", or reliquary box, in which the bones of the ancestors are kept. These boxes were guarded by the oldest man in the village, the "esa". The reliquary boxes were topped with a statue or head that acted as guardian of the "byeri" boxes. They were also used during initiation ceremonies for young people linked to the "So" society. The term Angokh nlo byeri means "head only of the ancestor", as opposed to statues. During the festivals, the statues were separated from their boxes and carried on parade, brandished like puppets.

Female statue carved into angular volumes, sitting on a four-legged stool. This African sculpture invoked for the purpose of fertility relates to the female ancestor. Worn on the head at women's funerals, these statues could be viewed by the public. Apart from the ceremonies, they remained under the care of the dean of women. Native restoration (metal staple). Desication erosions and cracks.
Carved for the most part on order placed by a family, Dogon statues can also be the object of worship on the part of the whole community when they commemorate, for example, the foundation of the village. However, their functions remain little known. Alongside Islam, Dogon religious rites are organized around four main cults: the Lébé, relating to fertility, under the spiritual authority of the ...

Ancient African sculpture depicting a young OviMbundu woman, generally devoted to female initiation rituals of fertility, fecundity, or even divinatory rites. The hairstyle evokes that, shaped with oil and red ocher, of the young nyaneka girls following the efuko ritual. Satin brown patina, erosions and cracks.
It is on the Benguéla plateau in Angola that the Ovimbudu, Ovimbundu, made up of farmers and breeders, have been established for several centuries. Forming the largest ethnic group in Angola, they belong to the Bantu speakers, such as the Nyaneka, the Handa, Nkhumbi, and other groups from the region of Huila, or Wila. Their statuary made from light wood is relatively limited.
Ref. : “The tribal art of black Africa” ed. Assouline; “Treasures of Africa” Tervuren ...

African animal figure Nkisi (pl. mankishi ) of "koso" type on which a cavity has been made for a magic charge. For the Kongo, dogs have four eyes and the ability to see beyond the world of the living, in order to detect malicious individuals. The dog, renowned for its knowledge of the supernatural world, its flair and its vision, also had a role of mediator between the living and the dead.
Matte brown patina. Cracks.
The Vili, the Lâri, the Sûndi, the Woyo, the Bembe, the Bwende, the Yombé and the Kôngo formed the Kôngo group, led by King Ntotela. Their kingdom reached its peak in the 16th century with the trade in ivory, copper and the slave trade. With the same beliefs and traditions, they produced a statuary endowed with a codified gesture in relation to their vision of ...

A slender figure evoking a mythical ancestor, a nommos, a primordial being in Dogon mythology. Reddish-brown patina.
Dogon blacksmiths form an endogamous caste among the Dogon called irim. Today, they produce weapons, tools, and also work with wood. "Masters of fire" associated in 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 indeed uncovered remains of steelmaking sites prior to the 15th century, the date of the arrival of the Dogon. The Nommo, a protective ancestor evoked in different forms in Dogon ...

African Eket art.
This statue with articulated arms rises from a base around which the basketwork and fabrics concealing the dancer were fixed. The semi-bent legs evoke the tribal mbobo dance of young girls during the Ogbom ceremonies, taking place in front of the altar at the end of periods of seclusion. The crest masks were then kept near the chimney flues of the huts in order to be protected from insects. Dark patina with marbled relief, kaolin highlights. Eroded base. The Eket, established in the south-east of Nigeria, are a subgroup of the Ibibio ethnic group known for their expressive masks. They are a patrilineal society whose villages are governed by the Ekpo Ndem Isong, a group of elders and leaders of extended families. Their decisions are reinforced by members of the Ekpo ...

Belgian collection of African art Small statuette marked with streaks representing scarifications. Heterogeneous golden brown patina with a satin feel.
The tribes of the south-eastern region of the DRC, around Lake Tanganyika, such as the Tumbwe and the Tabwa, worship the mipasi ancestors through sculptures held by chiefs or sorcerers. A magic charge ( dawa ) was often introduced at the top of the statues' heads. The diviners-healers used this type of object to reveal witchcraft and protect against malevolent spirits. According to some, the Luba sculpted for the Tumbwe.
Source: "Trésors d'Afrique" ed. Musée de Tervuren.

French collection of African art, the name of the collector will be communicated to the purchaser.

Different versions of Fang Byeri statues make up African art. Male figure embodying an ancestor éyéma-o-byeri presenting a cup. These statues were enthroned on the cylindrical bark chests containing the bones of the clan's notables. Thick oiled patina of use, locally flaking. Abrasions, small accidents. br> The people known as Fang, or "Pahouins", described as conquering warriors, invaded in successive leaps, from village to village, the entire vast region between the Sanaga in Cameroon and the Ogooué in Gabon, between the 18th and the beginning of the 20th century.
At the back of their huts, in a dark and often smoky corner, the lineage chiefs carefully stored their Byéri, ...

Minimalism for this anthropomorphic figure in black iron. Rusty patina. The populations of the same cultural region, grouped under the name " lobi", form a fifth of the inhabitants of Burkina Faso. Few in number in Ghana, they have also settled in the north of Ivory Coast. It was at the end of the 18th century that the Lobi, coming from Northern Ghana, settled among the indigenous Thuna and Puguli, the Dagara, the Dian, the Gan and the Birifor. The Lobi believe in a creator God named Thangba Thu, whom they address through the worship of many intermediary spirits, the Thil. Various sacred altars are erected around the Lobi houses. The sanctuary of the family home is called the Thildu, where tribal sculptures of wood, iron or brass, statues of ancestors and batebas are grouped.

Sculpture composed of an animal horn loaded with fetish materials, topped with a head representing the mythical ancestor Oso. Satin brown patina.
Two totemic clans once formed the Kuyu ethnic group, living along the river of the same name, in the northwest of the People's Republic of Congo: in the West, that of the panther, and in the East, that of the snake. A secret male association, Ottoté, played an important political role in the nomination of chiefs. The initiation of young people ended with the revelation of the snake god Ebongo represented in the form of a head. The Kibe-kibe dances that accompanied the ceremony reactivated the successive stages of creation. The panther clan had a drum as its emblem. For its part, the snake clan had sculpted heads, painted in bright colors, ...

Statue head carved from dense wood, representing a "mujimu" ancestor. Height on base: 30 cm.
Matt brown patina. 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 Kasongos form a Kusu subgroup, now dispersed among the Luba, Songye and Hemba. The therapeutic figures of the Kasongos, used by healers, were inspired by Songye fetishes. The magic charge, composed of ingredients of various origins, was inserted into the cavity of the head.

Revealing the adze strokes, an African sculpture named mwanangana depicting a chief from the Moxico region, wearing the chipangula cheffale. The chiefs had a major function in the propitiation rites intended for hunting and the fertility of women. Applications of castor oil and coloring plant decoctions were generally applied to the work.
Glossy black surface. Cracks.

Peacefully settled in eastern Angola until the 16th century, the Chokwé were then subject to the Lunda empire from which they inherited a new hierarchical system and the sacredness of power. Three centuries later, they ended up seizing the capital of the Lunda weakened by internal conflicts, thus contributing to the dismantling of the kingdom. The Chokwé did not have centralized power but large ...