Wonders are collectable

Georg Laue
OLDRICH THOMAS UTTENDORFSKY
doctor, diplomat and art collector

Oldrich Th. Uttendorfsky was born in 1945 in Jakarta

(Indonesia) and lived there until 1956 with his parents,
who were of Czech origin.

He studied at a Catholic boarding school in the Netherlands

where he later at the University of Nijmegen graduated
as a physician (M.D.). After his specialization at the
Vrije University of Amsterdam he became obstetrician/
gynecologist and received his Ph.D. degree in 1984.
He was active in his medical profession until retirement
in 2005.

After 1989 he was appointed as a chairman of the Olga

Havel Foundation, later followed by his appointment as
Honorary Consul - General of the Czech Republic in the
Netherlands. Since 2011 he has been Honorary Consul
of the Principality of Monaco in Prague.

Dr. Uttendorfsky speaks several languages and is an avid art

admirer. The eclectic collection of objects assembled over
the years reflects his highly refined taste and passion for
music, art and history.
AFRICAN ART
The collection of O. Th. Uttendorfsky
CONTENT

MASKS | HEADDRESSESS 8

SCULPTURE 54

IRONS | CURRENCIES 102

ADORNMENT 122

POTTERY 152

GAMES | MUSIC 166

STATUS SYMBOLS 176

ETHIOPIAN MANUSCRIPTS 196

PREHISTORIC OBJECTS 204

SHIELDS & DOORS 212

OTHER 230
MASKS | HEADDRESSES
1

MASK
Chokwe, Angola
rattan, wood, pigmented resin, pangolin scale, feline
pelt
early 20th century, height 37 cm

Provenance
Belgian private collection
Rut Van Caelenbergh (Brussels)

A rare mask representing a foreigner used

ceremonially to correct the imbalance created by the
products and cultural impact of Europeans/foreigners.

This mask is a good example of integrating elements

from different cultures. The use of resin in the
manufacture of masks is a Chokwe practice while the
black and white layout is typical of the mbangu mask of
the neighboring Pende people.

The mbangu mask is recognized by an opposition of

black and white that bisects the face and a general
distortion of facial features specifically the twisted nose
and mouth. The color white, symbolic of the spirits
of the dead, in this case represents the hope of being
cured of illness. The black pigment stands for the
sickness and illness that ravages one throughout life.
The combination of black against white symbolizes this
struggle.

The objects showing disease are used to instruct the

community and to caution against destructive behavior.
This is especially true of masks, which are danced to
teach or remind members of the community about rules
and responsibilities.

Lit.: Chokwe and their Bantu Neighbours, M. L. R. de Areia

(2003)

12
4
MASK
Lega, D. R. Kongo
wood, kaolin, pigments
early 20th century, height 27 cm

Provenance
Pierre Dartevelle (Bruxelles)

A beautiful and rare idumu mask without eyes.

14
Lega masks fall into the category of initiation objects belonging to members of
a secret Bwami society. They serve as an important mark of rank, identifying
the owners as members of specific Bwami levels. Most of what is known as
Lega masks are sculptures of a human face that are rarely worn over the
face. Like many initiation objects the mask can be assigned different uses
and meanings depending on the context of the performance. In Bwami
ceremonies, masks are attached to different parts of the body, piled in stacks,
hung on fences, displayed, dragged on the ground, and occasionally worn on
the forehead with the beard draping over the face of the wearer.

In her book on Lega art1, Elisabeth Cameron suggests that members of the
secret society Bwami attached cowrie shells to serve as eyes, but this seems
unlikely since the kaolin on these examples is even, showing no scars to
indicate missing elements. Perhaps, instead, the masks illustrate the saying
“Big-One of the men’s house, the guardian, has no eyes”. Although this
important high-level Bwami member does not see with his eyes, he sees with
his heart and guards the affairs of the community2.

Lit.: 2The Arts of Zaire. Eastern Zaire: The Ritual and Artistic Contexts of Voluntary
Associations, D. Biebuyck (1986), 1Art of the Lega, E. Cameron (2001)
2

MASK
Dogon, Mali
wood, rope
early 20th century, height 33 cm

Provenance
Gaston de Havenon (New York)
Arnold Herstand Gallery (New York)
James Willis Gallery (San Francisco)

An impressive albarga mask representing

an old man.

The albarga mask is said to represent

an old man of the Andoumboulou race
of small, human-like creatures, believed
to be the first inhabitants of the Cliffs of
Bandiagara.

The Andoumboulou are also said to be

the first makers and users of masks among
the Dogon.

Lit.: Dogon, H. Leloup et al. (2010)

18
3

MASK
Ituri, D. R. Congo
wood, pigments
early to mid 20th century, height 53 cm

Provenance
J. C. Toulon (Paris)
Kirké Gallery (Prague)

A captivating mask from the area of Ituri

rainforest.

People, including the Mbuti and Ndaka,

of the Ituri rain forest use these masks
representing ancestor spirits in elaborate
initiation ceremonies.

Lit.: ITURI: The Distribution of Polychrome Masks

in Northeast Zaire, M. L. Félix (1992)

20
6

MASK
Dan, Ivory Coast
wood, cloth, rope
early 20th century, height 23 cm

Provenance
P. J. P. M. Kersten (Maastricht)

A remarkable zakpai mask.

Predominantly found in the northern Dan

region, the zakpai mask is translated to mean
the ‘fire prevention masquerade’. The zakpai
mask appears during the dry season and its
function is to ensure that women extinguish
cooking fires after use to prevent afternoon
winds spreading fire through the village and
bushes.

Lit.: The Arts of the Dan in West Africa, E. Fischer &

H. Himmelheber (1984)

22
5

MASK
Songye, D. R. Congo
wood, pigments
early 20th century, height 41 cm

Provenance
Loed van Bussel (Amsterdam)
Polak Works of Art (Amsterdam)

An impressive kifwebe mask.

Both Songye and Luba masking societies

employed a dramatic mask called kifwebe,
whose linear patterns are said to allude to
history, power, and a constellation of other
esoteric meanings. The aggressive Songye
male type like this example has a sharp
crest, protuberant angular features, and red
coloring; the female type is round in shape
and black in color. The overall incised and
whitened striations on both types enhance
their sculptural power.

Lit.: Face of the Spirits: Masks from the Zaire Basin,

F. Herreman et al. (1995)

24
7

MASK
Dan, Ivory Coast
wood, cloth
early 20th century, height 28 cm

Provenance
P. J. P. M. Kersten (Maastricht)

Singular example of zakpai mask.

Predominantly found in the northern Dan

region, the zakpai mask is translated to
mean the ‘fire prevention masquerade’.
The zakpai mask appears in masqurades
during the dry season and its function is
to ensure that women extinguish cooking
fires after use to prevent afternoon winds
spreading fire through the village and
bushes.

Lit.: The Arts of the Dan in West Africa,

E. Fischer & H. Himmelheber (1984)

26
16

MASK
Dan, Ivory Coast
wood, metal
early 20th century, height 13 cm

Provenance
Monti collection (Italy)
Antonio Casanovas (Madrid)
Bruce Frank (New York)
Kirké Gallery (Prague)

Dan “passport” mask that used to be worn

around the neck or attached to a costume
and served as a personal protection and
identification.

Lit.: Die Kunst der Dan, E. Fischer

and H. Himmelheber (1976)

28
8

MASK
Bambara, Mali
wood, encrusted patina, organic materials
early 20th century, height 65 cm

Provenance
Amma Gallery (Antwerp)

This mask belongs to the fourth of a

total of six Bambara iniciation societies,
which promulgates a deeper insight into
group´s ethical values. This knowledge
is communicated to neophytes through
songs that accompany the mask dancer´s
performance. According to D. Zahan (1974)
the Kono mask simultaneously represents a
bird and an elephant, the former symbolizing
the human spirit and the latter intelligence.
The large erect ears allude to the fact that
Kono adepts are expected to learn to listen
to their “inward voice”.

Lit.: African Masks: The Barbier-Mueller

Collection, I. Hahner-Herzog et al. (2010)

30
10

MASK
Hemba, D. R. Congo
wood, encrusted patina
early 20th century, height 22 cm

Provenance
Karim Grusenmeyer (Brussels)

A stylized chimpanzee mask mwisi gwa so´o with

characteristic features including convex eyelids
and thin, sometimes pointed nose strongly set off
from the face area. Their dances are performed at
funeral and memorial ceremonies.

Lit.: African Masks: The Barbier-Mueller Collection,

I. Hahner-Herzog et al. (2010)

32
12

MASK
Nafana, Ivory Coast
wood, pigments
20th century, height 155 cm

Provenance
Dutch collection

Bedu masks (meaning ‘moon’) are believed to represent

the physical manifestation of a domesticated buffalo-like
spirit animal.

Danced in male and female pairs during a number of

festivals, the masks are used to protect the villagers from
danger and encourage fertility within the community.
The masquerades also perform dances to educate the
community on socially acceptable behaviour.

Lit.: African Masks: The Barbier-Mueller Collection, I. Hahner-

Herzog et al. (2010)

Photo: A. Bravmann, A pair of Bedu masks dancing, 1967

34
13

HEADDRESS MASK
Bambara, Mali
wood, basketry
early 20th century, height 55 cm

Provenance
Karim Grusenmeyer (Brussels)

Antilope headdress of highly abstract form.

Appearing in male-female pairs, these headdresses

were danced at harvest time by young male clan
members.

Lit.: Bamana, Jean-Paul Colleyn (2009)

36
20

HEADDRESS
Hausa, Nigeria
wood, leather, hornbill skull, seeds,
organic substances
early 20th century, height 35 cm

Provenance
Dutch collection (Amsterdam)

A headdress in the form of hornbill head.

The decoy is a pragmatic hunting aid, as he

approaches his quarry, the crouching hunter’s
body is hidden by tall grass or brush so that only
the hornbill’s head and neck appear. Any noise
is associated with the bird, not the hunter, and
because the hornbill is harmless to prey animals,
the hunter can get close enough for a good shot
with bow and arrow.

Lit.: The Tribal Arts of Africa, Jean-Baptiste Bacquart

(2002)

38
9

MASK
Chamba, Nigeria
wood, encrusted patina
early to mid 20th century, height 57 cm

Provenance
Didier Abeloos (Belgium)

An abstract mask with doomed

forehead that symbolizes a bush
spirit.

These masks perform at rites of

passage, circumcision, chiefs’
installations, and diverse funerals.

Lit.: Masks of Black Africa, L. Ségy (1976)

40
11

MASK
Fang, Gabon
wood
20th century, height 65 cm

Provenance
Italiaander Gallery (Amsterdam)

Masks of this elongated type were worn by

the members of the powerful religious and
judiciary secret society Ngil, that acted among
Fang as police and judges, revealing sorcerers
and handing down sententes to those who did
not obey the law.

Lit.: African Masks: The Barbier-Mueller Collection,

I. Hahner-Herzog et al. (2010)

42
14

MASK
Luba, D. R. Congo
bone, fibers, cord
20th century, height (without beard) 11 cm

Provenance
Phillippe Laeremans (Brussels)

Small round Luba kifwebe mask that used to be

worn around the neck and served as a personal
protection and identification.

Lit.: African Masks: The Barbier-Mueller Collection,

I. Hahner-Herzog et al. (2010)

44
15

MASK
Luba, D. R. Congo
wood
20th century, height 12 cm

Provenance
Paul Rutten (Amsterdam)

Small Luba kifwebe mask that used to be worn

around the neck or attached to a costume
and served as a personal protection and
identification.

Full-size round striated kifwebe masks function

within benevolent practices that purify the
community of the evil spirits of sorcerers.

Lit.: African Masks: The Barbier-Mueller Collection,

I. Hahner-Herzog et al. (2010)

46
17

MASK
Bembe, D. R. Congo
wood, pigments, fibers
early 20th century, height 6 cm

Provenance
Dutch noble collection

A small flat mask with owl features

used in Bwami society initiations
ceremonies.

Lit.: African Masks: The Barbier-Mueller

Collection, I. Hahner-Herzog et al. (2010)

48
18 19

MASK MASK
Igbo, Nigeria Lega, D. R. Congo
wood bone, feathers
20th century, diameter 12 cm 20th century, diameter 11 cm

Provenance Provenance
Michael Koenig (Brussels) Michael Koenig (Brussels)

A miniature version of okoroshi oma mask that represents A small round Lega mask decorated with feathers.
one of a range of female characters, including the mother,
beautiful daughter, and the prostitute. Lega masks fall into the category of initiation objects belonging to
members of a secret Bwami society. They serve as an important
Lit.: Igbo, H. M. Cole (2013) mark of rank, identifying the owners as members of specific
Bwami levels.

Lit.: Art of the Lega, E. Cameron (2001)

23

HEADDRESS
Bamileke, Cameroon
wood, cord, feathers
early to mid 20th century, diameter 50 cm

Provenance
Karim Grusenmeyer (Brussels)

A Bamileke feather headdress,

traditionally worn by dancers during
important ceremonies, e. g. during
elephant ritual dances, bi-annual cultural
festivals and at funerals of kings and
dignitaries.

Lit.: The Tribal Arts of Africa, Jean-Baptiste

Bacquart (2002)

52
21 22

MASK HEADDRESS
Makonde, Tanzania Bamileke, Cameroon
wood, pigments, human hair wood, cord, feathers
early to mid 20th century, length 28 cm early to mid 20th century, diameter 50 cm

Provenance Provenance
Peter de Groote (Brussels) Karim Grusenmeyer (Brussels)

A fragment of a phallic belly mask used in iniciation A Bamileke feather headdress, traditionally worn by
ceremonies. dancers during important ceremonies, e. g. during
elephant ritual dances, bi-annual cultural festivals and at
Lit.: Shangaa: Art of Tanzania, Gary van Wyk et al. (2013) funerals of kings and dignitaries.

Lit.: The Tribal Arts of Africa, Jean-Baptiste Bacquart (2002)

54
SCULPTURE
24
GUARDIAN FIGURE
Nyamwezi or Sukuma, Tanzania
wood
early 20th century, height 175 cm

Provenance
Pierre Dartevelle (Bruxelles)

This rare figure, in the form of stele, probably marked

a ceremonial precinct.

Lit.: Shangaa: Art of Tanzania, Gary van Wyk et al. (2013)

Photo: A. Dreyer, c. 1900, Linden-Museum Stuttgart

58
25

JANUS POWER
FIGURE
Teke, D. R. Kongo
wood, encrusted patina, fabric, fiber
early 20th century, height 25 cm

Provenance
Gallery Pace Primitive (New York)
Gallery Dalton & Somaré (Milano)
Yale reg. no.: 0071027-01

A rare power figure mpwau.

It has to be noted that the Janus

statuetes (mpwau) are inside the whole
corpus of Teke statuary extremely rare.
They belonged only to a ‘grand chief’,
(he who owes no other chief tribute) an
owner of the land. The mpwau was part
of his personal regalia.

60
Teke power figures (buti) are considered gifted of an energy
that can be used both for good and evil. It is the bilongo, the
magical material wrapped around body, where this energy is
localized. The original significance of the Teke Janus power
figures is not completely known, but widely accepted idea
is that they refer to female and male ambiguity or the two
worlds of the Teke universe - the visible and the invisible.

Lit.: Les Fétiches Batéké, A. Lecomte and R. Lehuard (2014)

Teke figures in the Louoko village, Middle Congo, 1906.

(Pitt Rivers Museum 1994.62.711)
26

POWER FIGURE
Teke, D. R. Kongo
wood, clay, cloth, organic material
early to mid 20th century, height 42,5 cm

Provenance
Belgian private collection (Bruges)
Jan Kusters (Netherlands)
Kirké Gallery (Prague)

A power figure buti.

Teke buti sculptures were invested with added magical

material, or charges, which were packed into recessed
cavities in the figures and also built up around the
figure, often in a distinctive inverted conical shape
which enveloped the torso. This material served to
consecrate and activate them.

Lit.: Les Fétiches Batéké, A. Lecomte and R. Lehuard (2014)

64
27

POWER FIGURE
Songye, D. R. Congo
wood, metal pins, pelt, fabric, organic material
late 19th century, height (without stand) 21 cm

Provenance
American collection (New York)
Philippe Laeremans (Brussels)

An old Songye power figure bearing complete

original paraphernalia, head covered with brass
pins.

The statuettes nkisi - made to heal, protect, bring

luck and fertility - were reserved for the personal
use of an individual or a family. The metal pins
refer to various epidemic diseases that von
Wissmann had already noted during his second
trip Songye country (1886-1887).

Lit.: Songye: The Formidable Statuary of Central Africa,

F. Neyt (2009)

66
28

MEDICINE
CONTAINER
Vili or Yombe, D. R. Kongo
baboon skull, organic material, fiber, magical substances
mid 20th century, height 26 cm

Provenance
Karim Grusenmeyer (Brussels)

A medicine container nkisi bumba consisting of a

baboon skull housed in an intricately knotted holder.

These objects serve as containers for magical medicinal

substances that heal and defend. The interior of the
sphere encloses a small bone or stone, which serves to
reinforce the magical charge.

Lit.: Le bumba, Raoul Lehuard, in Arts d’afrique noire N°96

(1995)

68
29

POST FIGURES
Girayama, Kenya
wood
early 20th century, height 86 and 81 cm

Provenance
Gallery Esprit de l'Art (Antwerpen)

Two posts vigango carved in the form of highly

stylised flat human figures.

These grave posts are thought to provide a new

physical body for the deceased and because of
this belief the post is kept in the man´s house
and is offered libations. Such objects were
reserved only for highest-ranking members of
certain secret societies.

Lit.: The Tribal Arts of Africa, Jean-Baptiste Bacquart

(2002)

70
30

PLANK
FIGURES
Vuvi, Gabon
wood, pigments
20th century, height 180 cm

Provenance
Kathy van der Pas & Steven van de Raadt
(Rotterdam)

A pair of ana-a-ndembe poles.

The two statues represents Nzambe-Kana

(the first male ancestor of humanity)
and Disumba (the first female ancestor).
According to the Oto Gollnhofer, ana-
a-ndembe planks are used in mourning
ceremonies placed in front of a temporary
shrine.

Lit.: Art et Artisanat Tsogho, O. Gollnhofer et

al. (1975)

72
31

FIGURE
Togo
wood
early 20th century, height 38 cm

Provenance
British private collection (London)
Kirké Gallery (Prague)

A weathered and eroded figure

of a human form.

Lit.: Art of Africa, J. Kerchache (1993)

74
32

FIGURE
Sakalava, Madagaskar
wood
early 20th century, height 110 cm

Provenance
Gallery Esprit de l’Art (Antwerpen)

A beautifuly eroded woman figure.

In western Madagascar, important Sakalava families

place there dead in rectilinear wooden enclosures
whose corners are embellished with figural sculptures
of women, men, and birds. This sculpture of a woman
originally adorned such a gravesite. Its bent knees,
elaborate coiffure, and full bosom emphasize an ideal
of female imagery that was originally paired with a male
figure to suggest fertility and regeneration.

Lit.: Madagascar: arts de la Grande Île, A. Gaborit et al. (2018)

76
33

TOMB FIGURES
Sakalava, Madagaskar
wood
early 20th century, height 140 cm

Provenance
Gallery Esprit de l’Art (Antwerpen)

Tomb sculptures of a man and woman carrying a

child on the back.

The Mahafaly peoples of Madagascar honor the

deceased members of chiefly and royal lineages
by creating burial sites of imposing grandeur. Each
tomb is a solid boxlike stone sculpture that may be
surmounted by as many as thirty wood sculptures.
These wooden tomb sculptures commemorate
deceased individuals while addressing more abstract
concepts concerning the nature of existence after
death and the relationship between living and dead.

Lit.: Madagascar: arts de la Grande Île, A. Gaborit et al.

(2018)

78
34

CEREMONIAL
IMPLEMENT
Nguni, South Africa
wood, metal
19th to early 20th century, height 35 cm

Provenance
American collection (Michigan state)
Sotheby's (November 1990, lot. 194)
Galerie Lemaire (Amsterdam)
Kathy van der Pas & Steven van de Raadt
(Rotterdam)

A ceremonial implement in a stylized human form.

Oval head, with diminutive mouth ressembling
sculptures of Amedeo Modgiliani.

Nguni is a collective name for a number of related

peoples in the east of South Africa. Wooden objects
from these cultures are very rare and almost all of
them are dated as 19th century.

Lit.: Ostafrika: Figur und Ornament, Axel Freiherr

von Gagern, Hans-Joachim Koloss, Wulf Lohse (1974)

82
35

DOLL
Namji, Cameroon
wood, metal rings and pins
early to mid 20th century, height 35 cm

Provenance
American private collection (New York)
Kirké Gallery (Prague)

A highly stylized Namji doll.

Amongst the Namji people, unadorned

dolls are made by blacksmiths, as
playthings, for young girls. When they
are dressed with beads, shells, coins and
other trinkets they become fertility dolls,
cared for as though a real child.

Lit.: Isn’t S/He a Doll?, Elisabeth L. Cameron

(1996)

84
36

DOLLS
Fali, Cameroon
wood, rope, safety pins
20th century, height 19 cm

Provenance
Rut Van Caelenbergh (Brussels)

A group of Fali dolls.

Lit.: Isn’t S/He a Doll?, Elisabeth L. Cameron (1996)

86
37

TWIN FIGURES
Yoruba, Nigeria
wood, traces of paint
20th century, height 20 cm

Provenance
Belgian private collection

A pair of ere ibeji twin figures.

The Yoruba have one of the highest rates of

twining in the world—it is estimated that out
of every 1000 births, 45-50 result in twins.
Twins are revered and come into this world
with the protection of the orisha (deity)
Shango. Because twins have consistently
low birth weights (caused by a number of
factors, like premature birth), one twin often
dies and “calls” the soul of the other to join
him. To appease the deceased twin, a small
anthropomorphic figure is carved to receive
his or her spirit. It protrays the deceased
twin as an adult, incorporating appropriate
symbols of the status that would have been
achieved or received had the child lived.
The mother feeds, bathes, and dresses the
carving when she feeds, bathes, and dresses
the surviving twin. After a period of time, facial
features may be rubbed away. In cases where
both twins die, dolls are created and cared
for so that the living and future members of
the family will not be harmed.

Lit.: Isn’t S/He a Doll?, Elisabeth L. Cameron

(1996)

88
38

FIGURE
Ewe, ghana
wood, traces of paint
20th century, height 20 cm

Provenance
Belgian private collection

A sitting figure with articulated arms, probably

representing a wife of a chief.

Lit.: Isn’t S/He a Doll?, Elisabeth L. Cameron (1996)

90
39 40 41

TWIN FIGURE TWIN FIGURE TWIN FIGURE

Ewe, Ghana Ewe, Ghana Yoruba, Nigeria
wood wood wood, fabric, cowrie shells
20th century, height 22 cm 20th century, height 22 cm 20th century, height 24 cm

Provenance Provenance Provenance

African Herritage Galllery (Kenya) African Herritage Galllery (Kenya) Loed van Bussel (Amsterdam)

A male twin figure venavi. A twin figure venavi. A male ere ibeji twin figure wearing a coat made
of fabric densely embroidered with cowrie shells,
Similarly as the well-known ibeji of the Yoruba, Similarly as the well-known ibeji of the Yoruba, indicating that this figure belonged to a wealthy
Ewe venavi represent the same idea of portraying Ewe venavi represent the same idea of portraying family.
the deceased twin in a sculptural form. the deceased twin in a sculptural form.
Lit.: Isn’t S/He a Doll?, Elisabeth L. Cameron (1996)
Lit.: Isn’t S/He a Doll?, Elisabeth L. Cameron (1996) Lit.: Isn’t S/He a Doll?, Elisabeth L. Cameron (1996)
42

FIGURINE
Lega, D. R. Congo
ivory
early 20th century, height 7 cm

Provenance:
Michel Koenig (Brussels)
Philippe Laeremans (Brussels)

A Kalimbangoma figurine, a sacred item

reserved for initiates of the Bwami society,
preciously preserved and transmitted from
generation to generation.

Among the Lega art is created primarily for

semisecret associations of men and women
the Bwami society. The teachings of Bwami
permeate all aspects of life, guiding the moral
development of the individual and governing
relations with others. Bwami doctrine is
represented by wood and ivory masks,
heads, and small figures, all of which play a
vital role during initiation into the society’s
highest grades. Although simple in form, these
carved objects embody complex and multiple
meanings, elaborated through proverbs, skits,
and dances. For the Lega, physical beauty and
moral excellence are inseparable. The smooth
polished surfaces of these sculptures allude to
the refined and perfected nature of the Bwami
initiate.

Lit.: Art of the Lega, E. L. Cameron (2001)

94
43

WARTHOG
FETISH
Zigua, Tanzania
clay, cloth, magical material
early 20th century, length 19 cm

Provenance
Peter de Groote (Brussels)

A clay figurine of a warthog wraped

in cloth.

Such objects are part of the arsenal

of the nyanga (wizard).

Lit.: Shangaa: Art of Tanzania,

Gary van Wyk et al. (2013)

96
44

FIGURE
Sierra Leone
stone
19th - 20th century, height 23 cm

Provenance
Karim Grusenmeyer (Brussels)

A remarkable stone sulpture

of a mother holding a child.

Lit.: African Stone Sculpture,

P. Allison (1968)

98
45

HEAD
Ashanti, Ghana
terracotta
19th - 20th century, height 10 cm

Provenance
collection Pijnenburg (Eindhoven)

These burial terracotta are idealized portraits

of important ancestors. They regularly received
offerings and libations.

Lit.: The Arts of Ghana, H. M. Cole and D. H. Ross (1977)

100
46

HEAD
Ashanti, Ghana
terracotta
19th - 20th century, height 10 cm

Provenance
collection Pijnenburg (Eindhoven)

These burial terracotta are idealized portraits of

important ancestors. They regularly received offerings
and libations.

Lit.: The Arts of Ghana, H. M. Cole and D. H. Ross (1977)

102
IRONS | CURRENCIES
47

ANIMAL FIGURE
Bambara, Mali
iron
early 20th century, height 18 cm

Provenance
Axel Vervoordt (Antwerpen)

A sublime representation of an antilope cast in iron.

Lit.: The power of iron in Africa, F. Eerhardt (2012)

106
48

CURRENCY
Chamba, Nigeria
iron
early to mid 20th century, height 26 cm

Provenance
Emille Deletaille (Brussels)

A currency belonging to a hoe-type group.

Lit.: The perfect form. On the track of African

Tribal currency, R. Balarini (2009)

108
49

VOTIVE OBJECT
Fon, Benin
iron
early to mid 20th century, height 150 cm

Provenance
Emille Deletaille (Brussels)

These snake shaped votive iron pieces used to

be embedded in the ground at the sides of the
shrine dedicated to Vodun rituals.

Lit.: The perfect form. On the track of African Tribal

currency, R. Balarini (2009)

110
50

VOTIVE OBJECT
Fon, Benin
iron
early to mid 20th century, height 60 cm

Provenance
Didier Abeloos (Belgium)

These snake shaped votive iron pieces used to be

embedded in the ground at the sides of the shrine
dedicated to Vodun rituals.

Lit.: The perfect form. On the track of African Tribal currency,

R. Balarini (2009)

112
51

CURRENCY
Iyembe, D. R. Congo
copper
early to mid 20th century, height 90 cm

Provenance
Axel Vervoordt (Antwerpen)

A currency in a spiral form.

Lit.: The perfect form. On the track of African Tribal currency,

R. Balarini (2009)

Iyembe wedding ceremony, Royal Museum for Central Africa Tervuren,

1951

114
52

MUSICAL RASP
Senufo, Ivory Coast
iron
early to mid 20th century, height 24 cm

Provenance
Axel Vervoordt (Antwerpen)

Rasps were used during the hunt. When animal was

killed, nyama1 left its body. To protect the hunters from
its power, the singer played on his harp accompanied by
musicians playing the rasps. The rasps were also played
at funerals. The stylised heads on top of some of them
enhances their power.

nyama - transferable power residing in people, animals

1

and plants. It is belived that nyama liberated after death

and may take revenge.

Lit.: The power of iron in Africa, F. Eerhardt (2012)

116
53

KISSI CURRENCY
Kissi, Guinea
iron, fabric
early 20th century, height 30 cm

Provenance
Axel Vervoordt (Antwerpen)

A packet of 20 guinzé, called bouron.

A currency in forged iron made by Toma tribe and spread

from 1800 by the Kissi throughout the West African
region. It could be used singularily or it could be tied up
in bundles. At the beginning of 20th century, one guinzé
had the same value of an English penny and thus it was
known as the Kissi penny. Apart from being used as a
currency, the guinzé were also used in initiation rites and
during funerals. Embedded in the ground at the entrance
of the village, the belief was that the guinzé had the ability
of transporting the soul of the deceased person to the
forest of the dead.

Lit.: The perfect form. On the track of African Tribal currency,

R. Balarini (2009)

118
54

AKIKA CURRENCY
Idoma, Nigeria
iron
early 20th century, height 77 cm

Provenance
Didier Abeloos (Belgium)

In the past akika were used by the Idoma during ceremonies

and negotiations for a bride. Akika form of iron could be
converted into other forms such as a hoe, a spear point or
matchete or even a door hinge.

Lit.: African currency, A. Bartolomucci (2012)

120
56

CURRENCY
East Africa
cowrie shells, wood, leather
early 20th century, height of a cup 11,5 cm

Provenance
Axel Vervoordt (Antwerpen)

A wooden cup filled with cowrie shells (Cypraea moneta).

Although the use of cowrie shells was generally bound to the

monetary shere, they were also used as decorations. In Africa
use of cowries is documented starting from 7th century A. D.

Lit.: African currency, A. Bartolomucci (2012)

55

CURRENCY
Luba, D. R. Congo
iron
early 20th century, length 6 cm

Provenance
Axel Vervoordt (Antwerpen)

Eight H-shaped pieces of a copper currency.

Lit.: African currency, A. Bartolomucci (2012)

122
ADORNMENT
59

NECKREST
East Africa
ivory
19th - 20th century, length 17 cm

Provenance
Gallery Daroun (Antwerp)

A beautiful neckrest with a shiny patina.

Lit.: Headrests from East Africa, Jef Vincent (2014)

126
57

ORNAMENTS
Owambo, Namibia
ivory
19th - 20th century, height 5 - 7 cm

Provenance
Patrick & Ondine Mestdagh Gallery (Brussell)

Two bridal badges omakipa.

Young Owambo girls received such badges from their

fiancés, their number informed about his wealth and the
number of cattle he owns. Even the incised patterns had
a special meaning. The omakipa were attached to leather
straps and fixed to belts, worn around the hips by the young
brides.

Lit.: The Splendour of Ethnic Jewelry: From the Colette

and Jean-Pierre Ghysels Collection, F. Borel (2014)

58

LIP PLUGS
Turkana, Kenya
ivory
19th - 20th century, width 5 cm

Provenance
Merton Simpson Gallery
Patrick & Ondine Mestdagh Gallery (Brussell)

Two lip ornaments ekalaiton.

These labrets are characterised by a round shape, crowned

with a small plug made from aluminium, wood or ivory,
which allows them to be attached to the lips. Their use was
traditionally restricted to senior men.

Lit.: The Splendour of Ethnic Jewelry: From the Colette

and Jean-Pierre Ghysels Collection, F. Borel (2014)

128
60

BRACELET
Gurunsi (Kasena), Burkina Faso
ivory, metal
19th century, height 18 cm

Provenance
Axel Vervoordt (Antwerpen)

An ivory bracelet gungulu, cut longitudinally

from the tusk of an elephant, adorned with
metal inset. Such objects are worn as symbols of
prosperity and for protection.

Lit.: Bracelets, A. van Cutsem (2002)

130
66

WRIST GUARD
Tutsi, Rwanda or Burundi
wood, metal
early 20th century, height 21 cm

Provenance
John Giltsoff (Brussels)

A wrist guard igitembe.

Tutsi archers wore large wood bracers to protect their wrists

from the recoil of bowstrings. They are extremely rare, and
the few extant examples have been ornamented with delicate
designs formed by pieces of copper pounded into the surface.
This bracer incorporates three sunburst designs, all edged with
tiny copper brads that have been punched to appear like inlaid
circles. Although there is almost no mention of Tutsi bracers in the
literature, one can assume that they were made for people of high
rank. René Collart’s publication on the Burundi (1984) contains
photographs in which several members of a royal Tutsi family wear
bracers decorated with copper insets.

Lit.: African Forms: The Traditional Design and Function of Objects, Marc
Ginzberg (2000)

Photo: Klein, 1908, Burundi

132
71 72

BRACELET DISC
Baule, Ivory Coast East Africa
bronze alloy ivory
early to mid 20th century, diameter 13 cm 20th century, diameter 8 cm

Provenance Provenance
old Dutch collection Didier Abbeloos (Belgium)

A Baule bracelet used both as a currency A small ivory disc decorated with circles.
and an adornment. Likely part of a necklace.

Lit.: Bracelets, A. van Cutsem (2002) Lit.: The Splendour of Ethnic Jewelry: From the Colette
and Jean-Pierre Ghysels Collection, F. Borel (2014)
61

BRACELET
Dinka, Sudan
ivory
20th century, diameter 18 cm

Provenance
Axel Vervoordt (Antwerpen)

A nice Dinka bracelet.

Lit.: The Splendour of Ethnic Jewelry:

From the Colette and Jean-Pierre Ghysels
Collection, F. Borel (2014)

136
70

PENDANT
Lobi, Burkina Faso
bronze alloy
20th century, height 14 cm

Provenance
Didier Abbeloos (Belgium)

A bronze pendant thungbubiel.

Valuable ornament that only men

of high rank were allowed to wear.

Lit.: African forms, M. Ginzberg (2001)

69

RITUAL PEG
Lega, D. R. Congo
ivory
20th century, length 19 cm

Provenance
Didier Abbeloos (Belgium)

Among the Lega art is created primarily for semisecret associations of men and women
the Bwami society. The teachings of Bwami permeate all aspects of life, guiding the moral
development of the individual and governing relations with others. Bwami doctrine is
represented by wood and ivory masks, heads, and small figures, all of which play a vital
role during initiation into the society’s highest grades. The smooth polished surfaces of
these sculptures allude to the refined and perfected nature of the Bwami initiate.

Lit.: Art of the Lega, E. L. Cameron (2001)

63

BRACELET
West Africa
ivory
19th century, height 12 cm

Provenance
Axel Vervoordt (Antwerpen)

Such objects are worn as symbols of prosperity.

Lit.: Bracelets, A. van Cutsem (2002)

62

PESTLE AND MORTAR

Central Africa
ivory
19th - 20th century, height of the mortar 7 cm, lenght of the pestle 10 cm

Provenance
Axel Vervoordt (Antwerpen)

140
65

BRACELET
Dinka, Sudan
ivory, string
early 20th century, diameter 21 cm

Provenance
Karim Grusenmeyer (Brussels)

A Dinka bracelet composed of the two parts

joined together by cord.

Lit.: The Splendour of Ethnic Jewelry: From the

Colette and Jean-Pierre Ghysels Collection, F. Borel
(2014)

64

BRACELET
Ethiopia
ivory, leather
early 20th century, diameter 12 cm

Provenance
Karim Grusenmeyer (Brussels)

Three rings made from the same ivory tusk,

bound together by leather straps.

Lit.: The Splendour of Ethnic Jewelry: From the Colette

and Jean-Pierre Ghysels Collection, F. Borel (2014)

142
68

CACHE SEXE
Kirdi, Cameroon
iron, plant fibres, leather
20th century, height 19 cm

Provenance
John Giltsoff (Brussels)

A wrought-iron cache sexe (pubic covering)

worn by married women.

Lit.: The Splendour of Ethnic Jewelry: From the

Colette and Jean-Pierre Ghysels Collection, F. Borel
(2014)

67

BRACELET
Ivory Coast
bronze alloy
20th century, diameter 13 cm

Provenance
John Giltsoff (Brussels)

Such objects are worn as symbols of prosperity.

Lit.: Bracelets, A. van Cutsem (2002)

144
73 74

HAIRCOMB HAIRCOMB
D. R. Congo D. R. Congo
raffia, cord raffia, cord
early to mid 20th century, height 17 cm early to mid 20th century, height 19 cm

Provenance Provenance
Karim Grusenmeyer (Brussels) Karim Grusenmeyer (Brussels)

In many African societies the hair comb symbolises In many African societies the hair comb symbolises
status, group affiliation, and religious beliefs, and is status, group affiliation, and religious beliefs, and is
encoded with ritual properties. encoded with ritual properties.

Lit.: 6000 Years of African Combs, Sally-Ann Ashton (2013) Lit.: 6000 Years of African Combs, Sally-Ann Ashton (2013)

Photograph taken by Casimir Photograph taken by Hugo Bernatzik,

Zagourski, 1930s
1920-30s

146
75

RAFFIA CLOTH
Kuba, Congo
raffia, dyes
20th century, width 55 cm

Provenance
Gallery Daroun (Antwerp)

Kuba raffia cloths are unique for their elaboration, geometric

design and surface decoration. Men and women wear these
embroidered skirts at important ritual ceremonies including
funerals. Smaller embroidered pieces were used as a form of
currency.

Lit.: Kuba, D. A. Binkley & P. Darish (2009)

76

KORHOGO PAINTING
Senufo, Ivory Coast
cloth, pigments
20th century, width 125 cm

Provenance
collection Pijnenburg (Eindhoven)

Korhogo paintings are made by hand painting designs on hand

woven and hand spun cotton fabric. They are decorated with
symbols rooted in Senufo culture and mythology. The Senufo use
the cloth as a shield against vengeful spirits by wearing or hanging
them in homes or shrines.

Lit.: African Textiles, J. Picton & J. Mack (1993)

148
77

SKIRT
Zulu, South Africa
leather, string
early to mid 20th century, diameter 125 cm

Provenance
Karim Grusenmeyer (Brussels)

The isidwaba a traditional Zulu leather skirt worn

by bethroted or married woman made from the
hide of animals that belonged to the woman’s
father.

It is made of cowhide or goatskin and is said to be

imbued with ancestral power.

Lit.: The Art of Southern Africa, S. Klopper et al. (2007)

150
78

HAT
Ngbaka, D. R. Kongo
animal hide
20th century, length 27 cm

Provenance
private collection (Belgium)
David Serra (Barcelona)

A head cover made of thick

animal hide (likely elephant).

Lit.: Powerful Headdresses: Africa,

Asia, Anne van Cutsem and Mauro
Magliani (2019)

152
POTTERY
79

STORAGE JAR
North Africa (likely Morocco)
terra cotta
19th - 20th century, height 70 cm

Provenance
old noble Belgium collection

A beautiful large terra cotta storage jar with

a weathered patina.

Such containers are often kept in cool cellars

sealed for long-term and seasonal storage of
various products - grain, olive oil, figs etc.

Lit.: African Terra Cottas: A Millenary Heritage,

Floriane Morin et al. (2008)

156
80

STORAGE JAR
North Africa (likely Morocco)
terra cotta
19th - 20th century, height 70 cm

Provenance
old noble Belgium collection

A beautiful large terra cotta storage jar with

a weathered patina.

Such containers are often kept in cool cellars

sealed for long-term and seasonal storage of
various products - grain, olive oil, figs etc.

Lit.: African Terra Cottas: A Millenary Heritage,

Floriane Morin et al. (2008)

158
81

BOWLS
Qua, Calabar, Nigeria
terra cotta
11th - 15th century, diameter 17 cm

Provenance
Prince Frederick Esiri (United Kingdom)
Peter de Groote (Brussels)

Two terra cotta bowls with finely incised

geometric patterns typical of the Qua
civilization in the region of Calabar in eastern
Nigeria.

Lit.: African Terra Cottas: A Millenary Heritage,

Floriane Morin et al. (2008)

160
82

RECEPTACLE
Bura civilisation, Burkina Faso
terracotta
3rd - 11th century, height 25 cm

Provenance
old Dutch noble family collection

These terracotta receptacles contained

funeral offerings and were found buried with
their openings facing down.

Lit.: African Terra Cottas: A Millenary Heritage,

Floriane Morin et al. (2008)

162
83

VESSEL
Nigeria
terra cotta
19th - 20th century, height 30 cm

Provenance
Kathy van der Pas & Steven van de Raadt
(Rotterdam)

A spouted vessel with globular pattern.

Lit.: African Terra Cottas: A Millenary Heritage,

Floriane Morin et al. (2008)

164
84

SPIRIT POT
Ga’anda, Nigeria
terra cotta
19th - 20th century, height 29 cm

Provenance
Kathy van der Pas & Steven van de Raadt (Rotterdam)

A spirit pot mbirhlen’nda.

The Ga’anda produce several ceramic vessel types

to contain particular spirit forces, and these are
enshrined together in enclosures (literally, “houses
for pots”) and maintained by lineage custodians.
These pots lead lives like people: their houses need
repair, their bodies need washing, and their appetites
need satiating. The identity of each Ga’anda ceramic
deity is defined by its distinctive shape and decorative
program. Their positive intervention was considered
vital to Ga’anda health and well-being.

Lit.: Central Nigeria Unmasked: Arts of the Benue River

Valley, Fowler Museum (2011)

166
GAMES | MUSIC
85

GAME BOARD
Songye, D. R. Congo
wood
late 19th - early 20th century, height 81 cm

Provenance
Belgian noble collection

An old and richly patinated mankala board

with a bag of playing stones.

Mancala is one of the world’s oldest games and

is widely played in Africa. Mancala is a generic
name for a family of two-player turn-based
strategy board games played with small stones,
beans, or seeds and rows of holes or pits in
the earth, a board or other playing surface.
The objective is usually to capture all or some
set of the opponent’s pieces. Versions of the
game date back to the 7th century, and evidence
suggests the game existed in ancient Egypt.

Lit.: African Folklore: An Encyclopedia, Philip M. Peek

et al. (2004)

170
86

THUMB PIANO
Tabwa, D. R. Congo
wood, iron
late 19th - early 20th century, height 26 cm

Provenance
Royal Museum for Central Africa (Tervueren)
Marc Léo Felix (Brussels)

Published
Tabwa: The Rising of a New Moon - A Century of
Tabwa Art, E. M. Maurer and E. F. Roberts (1985)

An old and rare humb piano kankobele embellished

with two sculpted heads. Smooth patina from long
use.

Thumb pianos have lon been played by the Tabwa

to pass the time during long walks, to accompany
dancing, or to complement drumming during praise-
singing. Kankobele pianos seem to have been made
for special, sacred use.

Lit.: Tabwa: The Rising of a New Moon - A Century of Tabwa

Art, E. M. Maurer and E. F. Roberts (1985)

172
87

ZITHER
Nyamwezi or Pare, Tanzania
wood, strings
mid 20th century, height 26 cm

Provenance
German collection
Dorotheum auction (lot 168, 2011)

Musical instrument with stylized head on the top.

Zithers (or harps) and other stringed instruments

play in Tanzania crucial role in many religious and
secular ceremonies. They often incorporate the
anthropomorphic form in the frame of the instrument
the figure known as a Zoromo.

Lit.: Shangaa: Art of Tanzania, Gary van Wyk et al. (2013)

174
33

88 89 90

OLIPHANT OLIPHANT RITUAL BELL

West Africa Makonde, Tanzania Yoruba, Nigeria
ivory ivory, basketry brass
20th century, height 18 cm 20th century, height 58 cm 20th century, height 17,5 cm

Provenance Provenance Provenance

Philippe Laeremans (Brussels) Philippe Laeremans (Brussels) Dutch collection (acquired in 1966)
Paul Rutten Gallery (Amsterdam)
A small ivory ritual trumpet - oliphant. A slender trumpet wraped in basketry.
A ritual bell omo decorated with anthropomorphic features.
Lit.: The Tribal Arts of Africa, Jean-Baptiste Bacquart Lit.: The Tribal Arts of Africa, Jean-Baptiste Bacquart Such bronze bells were part of the ceremonial regalia worn
(2002) (2002) by the Yoruba Chiefs associated with Ogboni society.

Lit.: Yoruba, B. Lawal (2012)

STATUS SYMBOLS
91

SCEPTER
Fon, Benin
wood, silver
20th century, lenght 48 cm

Provenance
King Dada Houédogni Béhanzin of Benin
Amma Gallery (Antwerp)

A scepter composed of a wooden core

wrapped in silver decorated with a ram figure
previously owned by King Dada Houédogni
Béhanzin of Benin.

The scepter makpo (staff of fury) belongs to

a corpus of silver works that served as objects
of power and prestige to rulers of the Fon
Kingdom of Danhomè in present-day Republic
of Benin.

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries,

the Kingdom of Danhomè prospered as a
major political power and commercial center
situated off the Gulf of Guinea. It gained much
of its power by playing an active role in the
international slave trade. Since the seventeenth
century until the conquest of the kingdom
by France in 1894, generations of Danhomè
kings served as great patrons for the arts,
often commissioning items to enhance their
own royal status, or to commemorate their
predecessors. They oversaw the development
of a rich iconography visible until today in a
diverse array of idioms, from scepters and
other personal regalia to architecture.

Lit.: Royal Arts of Africa, S. P. Blier (1998)

180
33

JANUS POWER FIGURE

Teke, D. R. Kongo
wood, encrusted patina, fabric, fiber
early 20th century, height 25 cm

Provenance:
American collection (New York)
Gallery Dalton & Somaré (Milano)
Yale reg. no.: 0071027-01

Teke power figures are considered gifted of an energy

that can be used both for good and evil. It is the bilongo,
the magical material wrapped around body, where this energy
is localized. The original significance of the Teke Janus power
figures is not completely known, but widely accepted idea is
that they refer to female and male ambiguity or the two worlds
of the Teke universe - the visible and the invisible.

It has to be noted that the Janus statuetes inside the whole

corpus of Teke statuary are extremely rare.

Lit.: Les Fétiches Batéké, A. Lecomte and R. Lehuard (2014)

92

MEMORY BOARD
Luba (Uruwa), D. R. Congo
wood, imported glass beads
19th century, height 20 cm

Provenance
collection of Belgian colonial officer
Marc Leo Félix (Brussels)

Exhibited
Arts Du Monde - Luba sculpture, New York (1996)
Congo Gallery - Art from the Luba Empire, Brussels (2007)

A ritual mnemotechnic device - lukasa.

Lukasa, or memory boards, are hand-held wooden objects

that present a conceptual map of fundamental aspects of Luba
culture. They are at once illustrations of the Luba political system,
historical chronicles of the Luba state, and territorial diagrams of
local chiefdoms. Each board’s design is unique and represents the
divine revelations of a spirit medium expressed in sculptural form
utilize a system of denotation based on masses of shells and beads
affixed to their wooden surfaces.

Lukasa belong to regional chapters of the Luba mbudye

association. Mbudye is a council of men and women charged
with sustaining and interpreting the political and historical
principles of the Luba state. As authorities on the tenets of Luba
society, mbudye provide a counterbalance to the power of kings
and chiefs, checking or reinforcing it as necessary. Members of
mbudye proceed through a series of stages within the society as
they master successive levels of arcane knowledge. Only those at
the apex of the association can decipher and interpret the lukasa’s
intricate designs and motifs.

Lit.: Memory: Luba Art and the Making of History, M. Roberts et al.
(1996)

184
Mbudye officials displaying
emblems of office, including
two lukasa memory boards
and staff of office, Photo by
M. N. Roberts.
93

PIPE
Ngbaka, D. R. Congo
wood, copper, iron, shells
early 20th century, height 59 cm

Provenance
old Belgian collection
Philippe Laeremans (Brussels)

An exceptional example of Ngbaka boka

pipe.

Anthropomorphic pipes boka were

prestigious objects owned by the elderly
men and notables who could afford the
acquisition of such exquisite object.

Lit.: Ubangi: Art and Cultures from the African

Heartland, Jan-Lodewijk Grootaers et al.
(2007)

Photograph taken by C. Zagourski, 1920-30s

188
94

SWORD
Shona, Zimbabwe
wood, metal
late 19th - early 20th century, lenght 48 cm

Provenance
Noble Endicot (USA)
David Serra (Barcelona)

A ceremonial sword bakatwa. Top end of the sheath bearing stylized bird head. Rich patina.

The bakatwa is a double-edged sword of the Shona people of Zimbabwe, used in religious
ceremonies. Bakatwa were and are passed down from generation to generation in a lineage,
and were used in religious rituals to symbolise the presence of the owner’s ancestors.

Lit.: African forms, M. Ginzberg (2000)

95

STAFF
D. R. Congo
wood
20th century, height 47 cm

Provenance
John Giltsoff (Brussels)

A sickle-shaped object with shiny

patina. Likely a status symbol.

Lit.: The Tribal Arts of Africa,

Jean-Baptiste Bacquart (2002)

192
96

STICK
Tsonga, South Africa
wood, shell
early 20th century, height 81 cm

Provenance
Daniel & Dori Rootenberg (New York)
Galerie Jacques Germain (Montreal)

A nice object with the handle in a form of a stylized

monkey head.

Lit.: The Art of Southern Africa, S. Klopper et al. (2007)

194
97

KNOBKERRIE
Swazi, South Africa
wood
19th - 20th century, height 80 cm

Provenance
old Belgian collection
Pierre Dartevelle (Brussels)

A fine old Swazi Knobkerrie.

Knobkerries are strong, short wooden clubs

with heavy rounded knobs on one end and
traditionally used in southern African as a
weapon. They are wielded as clubs or thrown
as missiles.

Lit.: The Art of Southern Africa, S. Klopper et al.

(2007)

196
ETHIOPIAN
MANUSCRIPTS
98

MANUSCRIPT
Ethiopia
parchment from a goat or sheep skin, ink
19th - 20th century, height 10 cm

Provenance
Axel Vervoordt (Antwerpen)

A handwritten religious manuscript written

in the Ge’ez language, a small Bible or prayer
book. Wooden covers wraped in cloth with
thread stitched binding.

Lit.: Ethiopian Manuscripts and Ethiopian Manuscript

Studies, D. Nosnitsin (2012)

200
99

MANUSCRIPT
Ethiopia
parchment from a goat or sheep skin, ink
19th - 20th century, height 9 cm

Provenance
Axel Vervoordt (Antwerpen)

A handwritten religious manuscript written in

the Ge’ez language, a small Bible or prayer book.
Wooden covers wraped in cloth with thread
stitched binding. Complete with the original
protective leather bag.

Lit.: Ethiopian Manuscripts and Ethiopian Manuscript

Studies, D. Nosnitsin (2012)

202
100

MAGIC SCROLL
Ethiopia
parchment from a calf or goat skin, ink
19th - 20th century, length 160 cm, height 10 cm

Provenance
Axel Vervoordt (Antwerpen)

In Ethiopia customized protective scrolls that

interweave sacred imagery with textual prayers have
been prescribed by traditional healers for over two
thousand years. These were carried on the person
of the individual to whom they were specifically
dedicated to shield them from harm.

Magic or healing scrolls usually take the form of long,

narrow, often segmented vertical strips of parchment
covered with handwritten texts — protective prayers,
spell-casting formulas — interspersed with drawn
and painted images. Such scrolls were, and still
are, created by traditional healers and diviners. The
Ethiopian Orthodox Church has always viewed the
art with deep suspicion, in part because it mixes
canonically sacred and heterodox elements: figures
of warrior-saints and archangels rub shoulders with
uncouth demons; talismanic designs derived in part
from Islamic, Judaic and pre-Christian folk sources
mingle with New Testament quotations.

Lit.: Ethiopian Magic Scrolls, Jacques Mercier (1979)

204
PREHISTORIC
OBJECTS
101
HAND AXE
Sahara, Mauretania
quartzite
1,2 mil - 0,5 mil years old, height 27,5 cm

Provenance
Slovak private collection (Bratislava)
Kirké Gallery (Kutna Hora)

This large quartzite handaxe was made and used

by early humans of the species Homo erectus.

Lit.: Sahara - Prähistorische Artefakte, C. E. Klenkler (2003)

208
103
GRINDING STONES
Niger, Sahara, Tenere region
volcanic stones
Neolithic period (4000 - 6000 B.C.), length 24 and 47 cm

Provenance
collection of C. E. Klenkler
Didier Abbeloos (Belgium)

A large crescent moon-shaped mortar bowl and

smaller, similarly shaped stone used as a grinding tool.

Lit.: Sahara - Prähistorische Artefakte, C. E. Klenkler (2003)

210
102
GRINDING STONE
Niger, Sahara, Tenere region
stone
Neolithic period (4000 - 6000 B.C.), length 42,5 cm

Provenance
Axel Vervoordt (Antwerpen)

An oval plate-like stone that likely served for

grinding.

Lit.: Sahara - Prähistorische Artefakte, C. E. Klenkler (2003)

212
SHIELDS | DOORS

shield
(page 212)
104
SHIELD
Ngbaka, D. R. Congo
leather, wooden support, pigments
early 20th century, height 125 cm

Provenance
Patrick & Ondine Mestdagh Gallery (Brussell)

An old and rare Ngbaka shield.

Lit.: Shields: Africa, Southeast Asia, and Oceania.

From the Collections of the Barbier-Mueller Museum,
Purissima Benitez-Johannot et al. (2000)

216
105
SHIELD
Nubia (Sudan)
animal bone (likely scapula)
19th century or older, height 35 cm

Provenance
American collection (New York)
John Giltsoff (Brussels)

Very rare and beautifully shaped object.

218
106
SHIELD
Massa, Cameroon
basketry sewn with string
early to mid 20th century, height 105 cm

Provenance
Gallery Lemaire (Amsterdam)

A Masa shield called marayda constructed

using three layers of grass sewn together flat to
form fan-like convex surface.

Lit.: Shields: Africa, Southeast Asia, and Oceania.

From the Collections of the Barbier-Mueller Museum,
Purissima Benitez-Johannot et al. (2000)

220
107
SHIELD
Bamum, Cameroon
basketry with wooden support
early to mid 20th century, height 80 cm

Provenance
Patrick & Ondine Mestdagh Gallery (Brussell)

A Bamum shield called moontien made in the

shape of letter T with double stiffening cane
stalks and woven raffia.

Lit.: Shields: Africa, Southeast Asia, and Oceania.

From the Collections of the Barbier-Mueller Museum,
Purissima Benitez-Johannot et al. (2000)

222
108
BED
Senufo, Ivory Coast
wood
early 20th century, length 150 cm

Provenance
Loed van Bussel (Amsterdam)

A nicely patinated Senufo bed, carved

from single block of wood.

Beds are made throughout Africa,

mainly for resting during the day.

Lit.: Arts de la Côte d’Ivoire dans les

collections du Musée Barbier-Mueller, J. P.
Barbier et al. (1993)

224
109
DOOR
Dogon, Mali
wood
early to mid 20th century, height 170 cm

Provenance
old Dutch collection

A Dogon granary door decorated with female

breasts, that symbolize love, health and
nutrition.

Each Dogn family owns many granaries, in which

the precious annual harvest of millet, wheat,
beans, onions, peanuts and sorghum are stored.
Personal goods and cult objects are also stored
there. Granary doors are sometimes richly
decorated with human figures, animals and
carved geometric designs that originate in the
iconography of Dogon myths.

Lit.: Dogon, H. Leloup et al. (2010)

226
110
DOOR
Bambara, Mali
wood
early to mid 20th century, height 170 cm

Provenance
old Dutch collection

A granary door decorated with ancestor figures

and animals.

Lit.: Bamana, Jean-Paul Colleyn (2009)

228
111
DOOR
Senufo, Ivory Coast
wood, pigments
early to mid 20th century, height 140 cm

Provenance
Loed van Bussel (Amsterdam)

Granary door decorated with animals and

geometric patterns.

Lit.: Die Kunst der Senufo: Museum Rietberg,

T. Förster (1988)

230
OTHER
OBJECTS
112

SPOON
Kulango, Ivory Coast
wood
20th century, height 35 cm

Provenance
Amma gallery (Antwerpen)

Elegant household object with dark patina.

The conical base serves as a pestle for
grinding food.

Lit.: The Art of Africa, J. Kerchache et al. (1993)

234
113

DOOR LOCK
Bambara, Mali
iron, plant fibres, leather
early 20th century, height 29 cm

Provenance
old Dutch collection

A typical Bambara crossbar lock. The body is

a highly stylized human figure, representing a
protective ancestor. The device is attached to the
door with iron clasps.

Lit.: Bamana, Jean-Paul Colleyn (2009)

114

HEADREST
Zulu, South Africa
wood
early to mid 20th century, width 54 cm

Provenance
Kathy van der Pas & Steven van de Raadt
(Rotterdam)

A Zulu headrest isiggiki adorned with geometric

patterns.

Objects among the Zulu were personal. Some were

made expressly for their owners, and would become,
in time, closely linked with that person’s identity by
association and a lifetime’s use.

Lit.: The Art of Southeast Africa, K. Nel (2006)

115
PULLEY
Dogon, Mali
wood, rope
early to mid 20th century, height 14 cm

Provenance
old Dutch collection

A Dogon heddle pulley adorned with diminutive

head.

Heddle pulleys, found across a wide area of West

Africa, hold the double heddles of the horizontal
looms. They consist of two pieces: the spool (often
lost), and the u-shaped part that supports it, which the
carver embellishes with elegant heads, masks, animal
forms, and abstract motifs.

Lit.: African Textiles, J. Picton & J. Mack (1993)

Photo: Guro weaver, E. Fischer

238
116

GRINDING STONE
Cross River region (Nigeria or Cameroon)
stone
20th century, diameter 10 cm

Provenance
old Dutch noble collection

An old grinding stone decorated with stylized figures.

Lit.: The Art of Africa, J. Kerchache et al. (1993)

117

STONE
Fon, Benin or Togo
stone
20th century, width 8 cm

Provenance
Didier Abeloos (Belgium)

An interesting object likely ritual implement.

Lit.: The Art of Africa, J. Kerchache et al. (1993)

Art
is not a luxury,
it is a necessity
Rebecca West
Oldrich Th. Uttendorfsky | [email protected]

Photographs, catalogue design & texts | Petr Mazna