Zemanek-Münster

Artistically engraved calabash ·  D. R. Congo, Pende · ID: 3047255

not available anymore
Provenance
Alex Arthur, Brussels, Belgium
Size
H: 26 cm
H: 10.2 inch

Description

pumpkin, kaolin, fire blackening, wood, labeled “gabuku”, “pumbu” and “mwawa”

This calabash is published in Léon de Sousberghes most famous work “L’ Art Pende” (1958, p. 167, Fig. 1).

He reports that it was acquired from the chief of the Kitombe (Kasai Pende). The bottle-shaped vessel was used to pour palm wine into the chief’s cup. The inscription with the names of the three masks “gabuku”, “pumbu” and “mwawa” had been added later by the Jesuits.

Sousberghe (1903-2006), a Belgian Jesuit priest, worked as missionary and ethnologist in the Lower Congo Basin, particularly with the Pende and neighbouring groups.

Works by the same artist can be found in the holdings of the Royal Museum for Central Africa Tervuren, Belgium (inventory no. EO.1953.74.3864 and EO.1955.36.1).


The object Artistically engraved calabash with the object ID 3047255 was last part of the auction 95th Tribal Art Auction at October 24, 2020 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 285.

Here you will find more objects and interesting facts about African art.


Publications

Sousberghe, Leon de, L' Art Pende, o.O. 1958, p. 167, Fig. 1


Subscribe to our newsletter

Join over 10,000 tribal art collectors. Don't miss out on upcoming news and auctions.

Subscribe today