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94 - 1 - CHAIR / THRONE (NGUNDJA / CHITWAMO CA MANGU) - CHOKWE CULTUR…
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Estimate €5,000 - €6,000
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Description
CHAIR / THRONE (NGUNDJA / CHITWAMO CA MANGU) - CHOKWE CULTURE - Angola ________________________________________ Provenance: Former collection of Edmond Verfaillie (1892-1962), a prominent figure associated with the major Belgian companies operating in the Belgian Congo under Belgian state administration, notably Forminière and Union Minière. Kept by family descendants. This early provenance is part of a particularly coherent and well-documented collection. General description An exceptional Chokwe chief's throne, also known as Ngundja or Chitwamo (Citwamo ca mangu), a major emblem of political and spiritual power in Central Africa. This work stands out for the richness and complexity of its iconography and the remarkable quality of its sculpture. The slightly sloping backrest, surmounted by figures sculpted in the round, features a sculpted face at its centre that is clearly reminiscent of the Cihongo mask, identifiable by its characteristic features: powerful face, prominent mouth, assertive chin and elaborate headdress. In Chokwe culture, the Cihongo is a symbol of wealth, prestige and royal authority, associated with chiefs and dominant lineages. The panel of the backrest is decorated with a finely incised geometric network, typical of traditional Chokwe vocabulary, reflecting both an aesthetic concern and a symbolic structuring of space. The leather seat, fixed to a wooden frame, rests on four solid legs. The lower parts of the seat are decorated with openwork scenes in high relief, depicting several characters engaged in social or ritual activities. These playlets, carved narratives, evoke the role of the chief in society: mediator, guarantor of order, central figure in exchanges and ceremonies. ________________________________________ Stylistic, iconographic and significance analysis This throne is a powerful illustration of the Chokwe's synthesis of European influences and African traditions. Inspired by seventeenth-century Portuguese chairs - recognisable by their sloping backs and leather seats - this type of chair has been reinterpreted as a major badge of power, reserved for chiefs. Its particularly rich iconography develops a veritable visual language: the central presence of the Cihongo mask, an emblem of wealth and political authority, is accompanied by multiple figures sculpted in openwork registers, evoking social life and human interaction, while the incised geometric motifs reflect a codified decorative vocabulary specific to the Chokwe aesthetic. This symbolic dimension is reinforced by the figures at the top, probably ancestors or tutelary entities. In this way, the seat goes beyond its function to become a medium of memory, legitimising power and cultural transmission. As Hélène Wastiau (2006) points out, these scenes illustrate "the areas in which the beneficial powers of the chief and his ancestors come into play". Carried on the historic migrations of the Chokwe people, these thrones embody the continuity of the group's authority and identity. Examples of this quality - combining rich iconography, sculptural mastery and explicit reference to the Cihongo - are now among the rarest and most sought-after pieces, both on the market and in museum collections. We should also note the treatment of the feet, sculpted in a ringed and spiral rhythm, whose rigour and regularity are particularly relevant in certain examples held in museum collections, notably at the Art Institute of Chicago (presented at the exhibition "Africa: Heads of State, Seats of Power", Chicago, 2 September - 7 November 1995). This formal proximity, perceptible in the structuring of the volumes, the relationship of proportions and the attention to detail, allows for a close comparison, both stylistically and chronologically, suggesting a work from the same sculptural tradition, or even from a particularly close hand, within the most accomplished expressions of this art. ________________________________________ Comparisons and museum references Comparable examples are held in some of the world's leading institutions, attesting to the importance of this type of work: - Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac - Inv. 1/353 | EMZ Ex353 - Metropolitan Museum of Art - Inv. 1978.412.619 - Art Institute of Chicago - Inv. 1968.789 - Buffalo Museum of Science - Inv. C12610 - Eskenazi Museum of Art - Inv. 76.54 - Ethnologisches Museum - Inv. III C 37 494 - Royal Museum for Central Africa - Inv. EO.1972.3.1 Bibliographical comparisons : - Marie-Louise Bastin, Arts décoratifs Tshokwe, 1982 - Michael Jordan, 1999 - Hélène Wastiau, 2006 ________________________________________ Condition and appreciation Excellent overall condition, consistent with age and prolonged use in its cultural context. Such as wear, erosion, leather seat marked by use. The surface retains a superb honey-coloured patina with a beautiful, dark, even depth, indicative of long use. This authentic patina contributes fully to the historical value of the piece. The piece stands out for the masterly presence of the Cihongo mask - a characteristic element of the rarest and most refined types of seating in Chokwe statuary, belonging to the most prestigious expressions of this corpus - the density and rarity of its iconography, and the quality of its sculpture and volumes. Its historical and symbolic importance, combined with a coherent stylistic attribution (Homeland Style), makes it a first-rate Chokwe throne, comparable to the best examples held in international museum collections.
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About the sale ARTS OF AFRICA & OCEANIA: Three exceptional family collections
Auction location
Auction time 06/22/2026 at 2:00 PM
Lot description modified on 06/05/2026 at 1:38 PM
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