Ituri Rainforest, Songola (?), Dem. Rep. of Congo: An abstract, ‘Cubist’ white mask from Northeast Congo, probably by the Songola. Very rare!
Ituri Rainforest, Songola (?), Dem. Rep. of Congo: An abstract, ‘Cubist’ white mask from Northeast Congo, probably by the Songola. Very rare!
The Ituri Rainforest in northeastern Congo is home to numerous small tribes, whose artistic styles are almost indistinguishable from each other. For this reason, their masks are often collectively referred to as ‘Ituri masks’.
The present mask is visibly very old and formally a very special item: Its face is radically resolved into angular surfaces. The ears are circular, the eyes are two triangles, the cheeks, the upper lip under the wide ‘chopped off’ nose as well as the chin – all of these features are ‘composed’ of angular, clear, flat surfaces. This is pure ‘Cubism’ – and yet it comes from so-called ‘primitive art’! From the Ituri Rainforest in the Congo.
This extremely interesting mask is made of light-coloured, lightweight wood, was at first probably painted black and subsequently coloured in white on the front side by means of kaolin (black on the back). Overall it shows excellent old usage patina on the front and back, and only minor age-related damage (colour scuffed and edges chipped). An object of great artistic quality. Very rare!
First third of the 20th century; H: 28.5 cm. (ME)
Provenance: Jo Christiaens, Bruges, Belgium.
Specialist: Erwin Melchardt
Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465
erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at
26.05.2015 - 15:00
- Realized price: **
-
EUR 4,000.-
- Estimate:
-
EUR 6,000.- to EUR 8,000.-
Ituri Rainforest, Songola (?), Dem. Rep. of Congo: An abstract, ‘Cubist’ white mask from Northeast Congo, probably by the Songola. Very rare!
The Ituri Rainforest in northeastern Congo is home to numerous small tribes, whose artistic styles are almost indistinguishable from each other. For this reason, their masks are often collectively referred to as ‘Ituri masks’.
The present mask is visibly very old and formally a very special item: Its face is radically resolved into angular surfaces. The ears are circular, the eyes are two triangles, the cheeks, the upper lip under the wide ‘chopped off’ nose as well as the chin – all of these features are ‘composed’ of angular, clear, flat surfaces. This is pure ‘Cubism’ – and yet it comes from so-called ‘primitive art’! From the Ituri Rainforest in the Congo.
This extremely interesting mask is made of light-coloured, lightweight wood, was at first probably painted black and subsequently coloured in white on the front side by means of kaolin (black on the back). Overall it shows excellent old usage patina on the front and back, and only minor age-related damage (colour scuffed and edges chipped). An object of great artistic quality. Very rare!
First third of the 20th century; H: 28.5 cm. (ME)
Provenance: Jo Christiaens, Bruges, Belgium.
Specialist: Erwin Melchardt
Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465
erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at
|
Buyers hotline
Mon.-Fri.: 10.00am - 5.00pm
kundendienst@dorotheum.at +43 1 515 60 200 |
| Auction: | Tribal Art |
| Auction type: | Saleroom auction |
| Date: | 26.05.2015 - 15:00 |
| Location: | Vienna | Palais Dorotheum |
| Exhibition: | 20.05. - 26.05.2015 |
** Purchase price incl. buyer's premium and VAT
It is not possible to turn in online buying orders anymore. The auction is in preparation or has been executed already.