Mask - Lengola / Tale - DR Congo
06
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02
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€ 1
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Selected by Julien Gauthier
With almost a decade of experience bridging science, museum curation, and traditional blacksmithing, Julien has developed a unique expertise in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 300 - € 380
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Lengola / Tale mask from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, provenance Collection privée, indigenous object name Masque, height 34 cm, width 1 cm, depth 1 cm, weight 1 g, in excellent condition.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
mask of extremely rare typology, Lengola / Tale, Maniema region, eastern Congo
Collection from a Parisian townhouse.
Attached document attesting to an old collection Stockholm / London, 1995.
See: Kâ-Mondo, Paris-Drouot, lot 9, December 2, 2022.
This mask is distinguished by a formally daring construction, based on austerity, frontalism, and an remarkable economy of means.
The face, elongated oval, almost ovoid in shape, is dominated by a wide, smooth surface that emphasizes the impression of silence and retreat. This apparent simplicity is counterbalanced by the extremely singular treatment of the features.
The eyes, reduced to short protruding cylindrical tubes, are undoubtedly the most striking element of the composition. Projecting forward like two hollow outgrowths, they give the face a rare visual tension, almost surreal, and participate in an aesthetics of distance rather than naturalism.
The nose, treated in a concise yet assertive manner, sits on a discreet midline that structures the face without breaking its austerity. As for the mouth, small, circular and deeply hollowed, it evokes an almost orifice-like opening, reinforcing the mask’s strangeness and its interiorized, even incantatory, character.
Together they convey an impression of expressive restraint, where power does not arise from abundance of details, but rather from the radicality of the forms. This heightened stylization, almost abstract, gives the work an exceptional plastic quality and an immediate presence.
Presentation of our house of expertise
Based in Belgium, our house of expertise and sale specializes in African and ethnographic art. A leading seller on Catawiki for more than 8 years, we enjoy a solid reputation and a track record of several hundred sales with an almost 100% satisfaction rate.
We regularly assist with liquidations, successions and dispersals of collections, in collaboration with individuals and families in Belgium and neighboring countries. Our approach is rigorous, transparent and accessible, with many sales proposed without a reserve price.
Some pieces that passed through our hands have joined international private collections and, for some, museum institutions.
Shipping guaranteed within 24 hours, with careful packing, insurance and tracking.
Contact 7 days a week: we remain available for any questions or requests for further information.
mask of extremely rare typology, Lengola / Tale, Maniema region, eastern Congo
Collection from a Parisian townhouse.
Attached document attesting to an old collection Stockholm / London, 1995.
See: Kâ-Mondo, Paris-Drouot, lot 9, December 2, 2022.
This mask is distinguished by a formally daring construction, based on austerity, frontalism, and an remarkable economy of means.
The face, elongated oval, almost ovoid in shape, is dominated by a wide, smooth surface that emphasizes the impression of silence and retreat. This apparent simplicity is counterbalanced by the extremely singular treatment of the features.
The eyes, reduced to short protruding cylindrical tubes, are undoubtedly the most striking element of the composition. Projecting forward like two hollow outgrowths, they give the face a rare visual tension, almost surreal, and participate in an aesthetics of distance rather than naturalism.
The nose, treated in a concise yet assertive manner, sits on a discreet midline that structures the face without breaking its austerity. As for the mouth, small, circular and deeply hollowed, it evokes an almost orifice-like opening, reinforcing the mask’s strangeness and its interiorized, even incantatory, character.
Together they convey an impression of expressive restraint, where power does not arise from abundance of details, but rather from the radicality of the forms. This heightened stylization, almost abstract, gives the work an exceptional plastic quality and an immediate presence.
Presentation of our house of expertise
Based in Belgium, our house of expertise and sale specializes in African and ethnographic art. A leading seller on Catawiki for more than 8 years, we enjoy a solid reputation and a track record of several hundred sales with an almost 100% satisfaction rate.
We regularly assist with liquidations, successions and dispersals of collections, in collaboration with individuals and families in Belgium and neighboring countries. Our approach is rigorous, transparent and accessible, with many sales proposed without a reserve price.
Some pieces that passed through our hands have joined international private collections and, for some, museum institutions.
Shipping guaranteed within 24 hours, with careful packing, insurance and tracking.
Contact 7 days a week: we remain available for any questions or requests for further information.
Details
Indigenous object name
Mask
Ethnic group/ culture
Lengola / Tale
Country of Origin
DR Congo
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Excellent condition
Height
34 cm
Width
1 cm
Depth
1 cm
Weight
1 g
Provenance
Private collection
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