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FIGURE DE RELIQUAIRE JANUS, KOTA NDASSA, GABON |
估價
180,000 - 250,000 EUR
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招標截止
描述
- haut. 64 cm ; 25 1/8 in
來源
Collection Eugène Foufé, acquis ca. 1912
Collection privée
Ader-Picard-Tajan, Paris, 18 octobre 1990, n° 56
Collection privée, France, acquis lors de cette vente
Collection privée
Ader-Picard-Tajan, Paris, 18 octobre 1990, n° 56
Collection privée, France, acquis lors de cette vente
展覽
Turin, Galleria d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, Africa. Capolavori da un continente, 2 octobre 2003 - 15 février 2004
出版
Bassani, Africa. Capolavori da un continente, 2003, p. 234, n° 3.69
Condition
Very good condition overall. Wear consistent with age and use within the culture. Minors marks and scratches. Metal plates are exceptionally very well preserved on both sides with a few batters to the forehead. Proper right eye of the convex face was missing and restored. The surface of the plates shows a warm color patina. The base is well patinated with characteristic erosion to the bottom.
"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."
"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."
拍品資料及來源
La très grande rareté des figures de reliquaire Janus et la facture majestueuse de cette effigie énoncent l’éminence de son statut. Appartenant autrefois à un puissant lignage dont elle signifiait l’importance politique, cette œuvre symbolise superbement, dans le soin égal apporté à chacun des visages, la fondamentale complémentarité des genres. D’après les études de terrain menées dans les années 1930 par le pasteur-ethnologue suédois Efraïm Andersson, les figures de reliquaire bifaces sont à la fois plus anciennes et socialement plus importantes que les figures à un seul visage (Contribution à l’ethnographie des Kota, 1953, p. 342). Connues sous le nom de mbulu-viti, ces grandes effigies à visages opposés (l’un convexe à front proéminent, l’autre concave) se distinguent également par leur rareté et leur exceptionnelle facture. Leur grande valeur rituelle aurait induit leur rareté dans les collections occidentales : les mbulu-viti ont toujours été difficiles à observer sur le terrain, et à plus forte raison, à acquérir. Dans le corpus de quelques milliers de figures de reliquaire Kota référencées, les figures bifaces anciennes représentent une proportion minime, et plus infime encore parmi les créations des Kota Ndassa. La statuaire dite Kota, caractérisée par un usage inhabituel en Afrique du métal plaqué sur une âme de bois, offre un fantastique éventail de solutions esthétiques : allant de l'abstraction géométrique au naturalisme, d’un minimalisme ascétique à l'exubérance. Caractéristique du style des Kota Ndassa, cette œuvre s’affirme par la sophistication de sa facture et par la virtuosité du travail du métal aux teintes superbement contrastées.
L’association de deux visages opposés sur les mbulu-viti, identifiés comme des visages de sexe différent, masculin du côté du front bombé et féminin du côté concave, correspond à la dualité primordiale entre l’homme et la femme des origines, telle qu’évoquée dans les récits mythiques et les contes. Ce couple symbolique est un rappel de la structure fondamentale de la société, valable aussi bien chez les vivants que chez les morts et basée sur l’équilibre de leurs fonctions complémentaires. Tout en puisant dans les solutions plastiques propres au style traditionnel Kota, l'artiste a ici magistralement conjugué, dans la lisibilité d'un naturalisme réinventé, les sentiments de prégnance et de dignité exaltés tant par la distinction du visage concave que par la puissance de la face convexe.
D'emblée s'impose l’élégance du piétement, dont l'épure géométrique, accentuée par le décor linéaire des plaques ornant les "épaules", annonce l’impact visuel de l’imposant visage Janus. Côté concave, de part et d’autre du motif central, les fines lamelles de laiton sont soigneusement martelées et juxtaposées, selon le style le plus ancien, l’absence de bouche concentrant l’attention sur les yeux en cabochon et le nez aquilin. Côté convexe, le visage s’impose par la puissance de son naturalisme et l’ampleur de ses volumes, à l’image des figures de reliquaires les plus abouties, notamment celle de l’ancienne Collection Rasmussen (Sotheby’s, New York, 13 novembre 2017, n° 24) ou celle ayant successivement appartenu à Morris Pinto, puis à Arman (Sotheby’s, New York, 11 mai 2012, n° 31). Au classicisme de l’ample cimier, évoquant l’arc en ciel mbunda, répond la beauté du décor et la puissance de la polychromie. Puisant à la fois dans les traditions Kota et dans les solutions plastiques propres au style Ndassa, l’artiste est parvenu à imposer une impression conjuguée de force et de majesté. Ce naturalisme réinterprété est transcendé par la rigueur abstraite du décor pictural animé par les contrastes chromatiques des différents métaux utilisés (laiton, cuivre, fer) qui, sur chaque face, impose la présence du visage ancestral.
The great rarity of reliquary figures, and the commanding craftsmanship displayed in this effigy reveal the eminence of its status. This piece belonged to a powerful lineage and was a reflection of its political importance; in the equal care given to each of the faces it is a superb embodiment of the fundamental notion of gender complementarity. According to field studies carried out in the 1930s by Swedish pastor and ethnologist Efraïm Andersson, bifrons reliquary figures are both older and more socially significant than single-face figures ("Contribution à l’ethnographie des Kuta", 1953, p. 342). Known as mbulu-viti, these large effigies with opposing faces (one convex with a prominent forehead, the other concave) also stand out for their rarity and their exceptional craftsmanship. Their great ritual value is the likely cause of their rarity in Western collections: mbulu-vitis have always been difficult to observe in the field, let alone acquire. Within the corpus comprised of the few thousand recorded Kota reliquary figures, ancient bifrons figures represent a very small subgroup; especially so for the Kota Ndassa.
The corpus of Kota statuary, characterized by the use of plated metal on a wooden core - unusual in Africa -, showcases a fantastic range of aesthetic solutions, ranging from geometric abstraction to naturalism, from ascetic minimalism to exuberance. Typical of the Kota Ndassa style, this piece stands out for its sophistication and the virtuosity of its metal work and use of mixed colours.
The combination of two opposing faces on the mbulu-viti, identified as faces of differing genders - a male one on the side of the bulging forehead, and a female one on the concave side - therefore reflects the primordial duality between original Man and Woman, as evoked in mythical narratives and tales. This symbolic couple stands as a reminder of the fundamental structure of society, both for the living and for the dead, based on a balance of their complementary functions. Whilst drawing from the artistic solutions characteristic of the Kota style, in this piece the artist has masterfully combined, through a clear-lined reinvented naturalism, feelings of presence and dignity, both in the elegance of the concave face and in the forcefulness of the convex one.
At first glance, the eye is struck by the elegance of the base and its geometric purity, enhanced by the linear decoration of the plates adorning the "shoulders", emphasizing the visual impact of the imposing Janus face. On the concave face, on either side of the central cross motif, fine brass bands have been carefully hammered and juxtaposed, following the precepts of the most ancient style, while the lack of mouth focuses the viewer’s gaze on the “cabochon” eyes and aquiline nose. On the convex side, the face stands out for the force of its naturalism and the breadth of its volumes, only to be found in the most accomplished reliquary figures, such as that of the former Rasmussen Collection (Sotheby’s, New York, 13 November 2017, No. 24) or the one that was consecutively in the Morris Pinto and Arman collections (Sotheby’s, New York, 11 May 2012, No 31). The classicism of the broad head-crest, evoking the mbunda rainbow, finds an echo in the beauty of the decor and the sheer force of the polychromy. Drawing from Kota traditions and from aesthetic solutions specific to the Ndassa style, the artist creates an impression that combines forcefulness and majesty. This reinvented naturalism is transcended by the abstract rigour of the pictorial decor, brought to life by the chromatic contrasts of the various metals used (brass, copper and iron), which, on each of the two sides, asserts the potency of the ancestor’s face.
L’association de deux visages opposés sur les mbulu-viti, identifiés comme des visages de sexe différent, masculin du côté du front bombé et féminin du côté concave, correspond à la dualité primordiale entre l’homme et la femme des origines, telle qu’évoquée dans les récits mythiques et les contes. Ce couple symbolique est un rappel de la structure fondamentale de la société, valable aussi bien chez les vivants que chez les morts et basée sur l’équilibre de leurs fonctions complémentaires. Tout en puisant dans les solutions plastiques propres au style traditionnel Kota, l'artiste a ici magistralement conjugué, dans la lisibilité d'un naturalisme réinventé, les sentiments de prégnance et de dignité exaltés tant par la distinction du visage concave que par la puissance de la face convexe.
D'emblée s'impose l’élégance du piétement, dont l'épure géométrique, accentuée par le décor linéaire des plaques ornant les "épaules", annonce l’impact visuel de l’imposant visage Janus. Côté concave, de part et d’autre du motif central, les fines lamelles de laiton sont soigneusement martelées et juxtaposées, selon le style le plus ancien, l’absence de bouche concentrant l’attention sur les yeux en cabochon et le nez aquilin. Côté convexe, le visage s’impose par la puissance de son naturalisme et l’ampleur de ses volumes, à l’image des figures de reliquaires les plus abouties, notamment celle de l’ancienne Collection Rasmussen (Sotheby’s, New York, 13 novembre 2017, n° 24) ou celle ayant successivement appartenu à Morris Pinto, puis à Arman (Sotheby’s, New York, 11 mai 2012, n° 31). Au classicisme de l’ample cimier, évoquant l’arc en ciel mbunda, répond la beauté du décor et la puissance de la polychromie. Puisant à la fois dans les traditions Kota et dans les solutions plastiques propres au style Ndassa, l’artiste est parvenu à imposer une impression conjuguée de force et de majesté. Ce naturalisme réinterprété est transcendé par la rigueur abstraite du décor pictural animé par les contrastes chromatiques des différents métaux utilisés (laiton, cuivre, fer) qui, sur chaque face, impose la présence du visage ancestral.
The great rarity of reliquary figures, and the commanding craftsmanship displayed in this effigy reveal the eminence of its status. This piece belonged to a powerful lineage and was a reflection of its political importance; in the equal care given to each of the faces it is a superb embodiment of the fundamental notion of gender complementarity. According to field studies carried out in the 1930s by Swedish pastor and ethnologist Efraïm Andersson, bifrons reliquary figures are both older and more socially significant than single-face figures ("Contribution à l’ethnographie des Kuta", 1953, p. 342). Known as mbulu-viti, these large effigies with opposing faces (one convex with a prominent forehead, the other concave) also stand out for their rarity and their exceptional craftsmanship. Their great ritual value is the likely cause of their rarity in Western collections: mbulu-vitis have always been difficult to observe in the field, let alone acquire. Within the corpus comprised of the few thousand recorded Kota reliquary figures, ancient bifrons figures represent a very small subgroup; especially so for the Kota Ndassa.
The corpus of Kota statuary, characterized by the use of plated metal on a wooden core - unusual in Africa -, showcases a fantastic range of aesthetic solutions, ranging from geometric abstraction to naturalism, from ascetic minimalism to exuberance. Typical of the Kota Ndassa style, this piece stands out for its sophistication and the virtuosity of its metal work and use of mixed colours.
The combination of two opposing faces on the mbulu-viti, identified as faces of differing genders - a male one on the side of the bulging forehead, and a female one on the concave side - therefore reflects the primordial duality between original Man and Woman, as evoked in mythical narratives and tales. This symbolic couple stands as a reminder of the fundamental structure of society, both for the living and for the dead, based on a balance of their complementary functions. Whilst drawing from the artistic solutions characteristic of the Kota style, in this piece the artist has masterfully combined, through a clear-lined reinvented naturalism, feelings of presence and dignity, both in the elegance of the concave face and in the forcefulness of the convex one.
At first glance, the eye is struck by the elegance of the base and its geometric purity, enhanced by the linear decoration of the plates adorning the "shoulders", emphasizing the visual impact of the imposing Janus face. On the concave face, on either side of the central cross motif, fine brass bands have been carefully hammered and juxtaposed, following the precepts of the most ancient style, while the lack of mouth focuses the viewer’s gaze on the “cabochon” eyes and aquiline nose. On the convex side, the face stands out for the force of its naturalism and the breadth of its volumes, only to be found in the most accomplished reliquary figures, such as that of the former Rasmussen Collection (Sotheby’s, New York, 13 November 2017, No. 24) or the one that was consecutively in the Morris Pinto and Arman collections (Sotheby’s, New York, 11 May 2012, No 31). The classicism of the broad head-crest, evoking the mbunda rainbow, finds an echo in the beauty of the decor and the sheer force of the polychromy. Drawing from Kota traditions and from aesthetic solutions specific to the Ndassa style, the artist creates an impression that combines forcefulness and majesty. This reinvented naturalism is transcended by the abstract rigour of the pictorial decor, brought to life by the chromatic contrasts of the various metals used (brass, copper and iron), which, on each of the two sides, asserts the potency of the ancestor’s face.