North eastern Congo. Wood. 43 cm. 19th century. Only a handful of these rare cubist figures are known. A similar one was collected by Camille D'Heygere between 1893and 1898. Another one was sold at Sotheby's in 1967, now in the National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington. The figure'S coiffure, the pierced ears for ear ornaments, show traits of feminine beauty. As a sculpture, the strong tapered torso, accentuated by the breasts and navel, the fluid arms and the bulbous composition of the legs, show the work of a gifted artist. From the collection of Marie-Jeanne Walschot (1896-1977), she was one of the first african art experts in Brussels, starting in the roaring twenties. She worked with Frans Olbrechts on the exhibition 'Plastiek van Kongo, Antwerpen 1946', now part of the collection of the MRAC, Tervuren Museum. (VJ)

Provenance:
Marie-Jeanne Walschot, Brussels;
Galerie Ambre, Brussels;
Collection Udo Horstmann, Zug (1980).

Exhibited:
New York, The Center for African Art 'Close Up', 12th of Sept. 1990;
5000 Years Africa, Berlin Kunstforum 2008.

Published:
Cover of the 'Arts d'Afrique Noire', no. 36, 1980;
'Close up - The Horstmann Collection', 1990, Vogel & Thompson, p. 116, no. 37;
'5000 years Africa', Junge & Wildung, 2008, p. 72;
'Formes and Figures', Bassani 2002, p. 192, no. 80.