- 12
Masque, Téké, République du Congo
Description
- Téké
- Masque
- Wood
- haut. 32 cm
- 12 1/2 in
Provenance
Collection Léopold Häfliger, Lucerne
Lucerne, Afrikanische Maskensammlung aus dem Nachlass von Leopold Häfliger, 16 décembre 1989, n° 20
Collection Karl-Ferdinand Schädler, Munich, acquis lors de cette vente
Sotheby's, New York, 25 mai 1999, n° 61
Philippe Ratton et Daniel Hourdé, Paris, acquis lors de cette vente
Collection Viviane Jutheau, Comtesse de Witt, acquis en 1999
Exhibited
Literature
Schädler, ötter Geister Ahnen. Afrikanische Skulpturen in deutschen Privatsammlungen / Gods, Spirits, Ancestors: African Sculpture from Private German Collections, 1992, p. 196, n° 159
Schädler, Lexikon Afrikanische Kunst und Kultur, 1994, p. 224
Schädler, Afrikanische Kunst. Von der Frühzeit bis heute, 1997, p. 259, n° 169
Condition
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
Teke mask, Republic of the Congo
Characteristic of the earliest stylistic generation of Teke masks, which are said to date back to the second half of the 19th century, this mask is defined by an overhanging forehead, two thin slits that provide a field of vision for the wearer, and holes designed to receive a decor of feathers and plant fibres that dot the masks' circumference. These masks are creations of the Teke-Tsaaye (central eastern region of the Republic of Congo), and depict a modernity in their discoid shape and the abstract polychromatic design covering their surface. According to Marie-Claire Dupré ("Masque de danse ou cartes géopolitiques ? L’invention de Kidumu chez les Téké Tsayi au XIXe siècle" in Cahiers des Sciences Humaines, No. 26, 1990, p. 447-471), these complex patterns are all esoteric designs and decoding them could help uncover "important information on the history of the Teke tsayi". The signs on the masks, born from dreams and from the use of hallucinogenic roots, are arranged symmetrically and are associated with secret knowledge that "commemorates the sky, the stars, the migration of the tsaayi, and the relationship between the stars, nature spirits, and veiled presence of ancestors" (Neyt, Fleuve Congo, 2010, p. 69).