Kidumu anthropomorphic mask - Teke-Tsaye - DR Congo

Masque Kidumu – Téké-Tsaayi – Congo-Brazzaville

Origin: Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), Mossendjo–Sibiti region
Culture / Ethnicity: Téké-Tsaayi
Material: Carved and polychrome wood
Support: Work supplied with its original presentation plinth, custom-made.

- An exclusive and richly illustrated catalogue accompanies the Wirtz Collection, with a detailed note dedicated to each of the works presented. (available on request)

- Unpublished: A dated and signed composition, entitled After the Wirtz Collection, offering a pictorial evocation of the interior of the collection as it might have been represented in 1965.

Provenance

Former private collection of a member of the Wirtz family, Antwerp (Belgium), a family historically active in the travel sector.

According to information transmitted directly by her heir, this object was reportedly brought back from the Congo in the 1960s, then kept within the family.

The family collection was carefully preserved and presented in a room entirely dedicated, arranged in the spirit of a private cabinet of curiosities, where the works were gathered and highlighted in an environment dedicated to their display.

Acquired directly from the heir, with whom this sale is conducted in collaboration.

Description & Study of the Work

Anthropomorphic facial mask Kidumu, attributed to the Téké-Tsaayi of the Republic of the Congo.

This type of mask, relatively rare, ranks among the most distinctive creations of Central African art. The human face is treated in an almost abstract way: the flat shape, elongated eyes, a raised nose, and strong geometric motifs integrate into a composition of great graphic impact.

The red-ochre, white and dark polychromy further accentuates the symmetry of the decorative design and gives the whole a striking presence. The motifs of Kidumu masks were not only ornamental: they also belonged to a symbolic language specific to Kidumu society.

This exemplar is particularly remarkable for its form, the balance of its composition and its almost hypnotic expression. The half-closed eyes contrast with the intensity of the geometric decoration, while the protruding raised nose disrupts the overall flatness of the face.

This remarkable ability to transform the human figure into lines, curves and flat areas explains the considerable interest shown by European collectors and artists at the beginning of the 20th century. Kidumu masks thus figured early in major avant-garde collections, notably that of painter André Derain, before 1930.

The surface shows signs of use as well as wear and losses of polychromy, which fully contribute to the character and presence of the object.