- 184
Teke-Tsaye Mask, Republic of the Congo
Estimate
10,000 - 15,000 USD
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Description
- wood
- Height: 13 3/4 in (35 cm)
Provenance
Private Collection, reportedly collected in situ in the 1950s while working as a colonial official
Marceau Rivière, Paris, acquired from the above
Merton D. Simpson, New York, acquired from the above in 2002 (inv. no. 9211)
Quinn's Auction Galleries, Falls Church, Virginia, the Estate of Merton Simpson, October 1, 2016, lot 315
Private Collection, acquired at the above auction
Marceau Rivière, Paris, acquired from the above
Merton D. Simpson, New York, acquired from the above in 2002 (inv. no. 9211)
Quinn's Auction Galleries, Falls Church, Virginia, the Estate of Merton Simpson, October 1, 2016, lot 315
Private Collection, acquired at the above auction
Literature
Raoul Lehuard, "À propos de masques Teke-Tsaye récemment découverts dans des collections privées", Arts d'Afrique noire, No. 124, Winter 2002, p. 15, fig. 2
Condition
Very good condition overall. Nicks, chips, scratches and abrasions throughout consistent with age and use. A stable age crack to the proper left side of the face as visible in the catalogue illustration. Erosion and losses to the proper left side of the outer rim of the mask and to the proper left side and top of the inner rim of the mask. Layered patina with black, reddish, blue and white pigments. Has stand.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
Created by the Teke-Tsaye people, who live in the eastern region of the Republic of Congo, 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. Its discoid shape and the polychromatic design covering the surface combine to form an abstract aesthetic. According to Marie-Claire Dupré, these complex patterns are all esoteric designs and decoding them could help uncover "important information on the history of the Teke tsaye" (Dupré, "Masque de danse ou cartes géopolitiques ? L’invention de Kidumu chez les Téké Tsayi au XIXe siècle", Cahiers des Sciences Humaines, No. 26, 1990, pp. 447-471).
The iconography of the masks, born from dreams and 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, Paris, 2010, p. 69).