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80 - KONGO DINGA MASK DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO Hammered c…
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Estimate €6,000 - €9,000
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Description
KONGO DINGA MASK DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO Hammered copper H.: 31 cm (12¹?? in.) A Kongo Dinga mask, Democratic Republic of the Congo Provenance: Collection of Jean-Jacques Rotthier (1932–2009), Brussels, then passed down through the family Bibliography: Neyt (François), Arts traditionnels et histoire au Zaire/Traditional Arts and History of Zaire, Louvain-la-Neuve, Catholic University of Louvain, 1981, p. 205, fig. X.5 These two Kongo-Dinga masks (lots 80 and 81), made of hammered copper, belong to a particularly limited group, of which only a dozen examples are currently recorded, according to Rik Ceyssens (see Rik Ceyssens, ‘Material and Formal Aspects of Copper Masks from the Upper Kasai’, in Frank Herreman & Constantijn Petridis (eds.), *Face of the Spirits. Masks from the Zaire Basin*, Antwerp, 1993, p. 97). They constitute rare examples of a tradition linked to ancestral authority. They were used during particularly significant moments in community life, notably on the occasion of a chief’s death and the enthronement of his successor. Known as ngongo munene in the Dinga language, these masks are fashioned from hammered copper, a material imbued with strong symbolic and ritual significance. The use of copper signifies sacred authority and is closely associated with the spiritual power of the chief, or ‘master of the earth’, Tshikolondond. As such, these masks were not merely ceremonial regalia; they were also powerful manifestations of political legitimacy and spiritual authority. A series of photographs by Marie-Louise Bastin taken in 1956 shows Chief Tshikolondondo holding one of these masks in his hand, attesting to its status as an insignia of power closely associated with the chief’s authority. A KONGO DINGA MASK DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO Hammered copper H.: 12¹?? in. Provenance: Jean-Jacques Rotthier Collection (1932–2009), Brussels, then by descent Bibliography: Neyt (François), *Arts traditionnels et histoire au Zaire/Traditional Arts and History of Zaire*, Louvain-le-Neuve, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1981, p. 205, fig. X.5 These two Kongo-Dinga (lots 80 and 81) hammered copper masks belong to a particularly limited group, of which only about a dozen examples are currently known, according to Rik Ceyssens (see Rik Ceyssens, ‘Material and Formal Aspects of Copper Masks from the Upper Kasai’, in Frank Herreman & Constantijn Petridis (eds.), *Face of the Spirits. Masks from the Zaire Basin, Antwerp, 1993, p. 97). They are rare surviving examples of a tradition associated with ancestral authority. They were used during some of the most significant moments in community life, notably on the occasion of a chief’s death and the enthronement of his successor. Known as ngongo munene in the Dinga language, these masks are fashioned from hammered copper, a material imbued with profound symbolic and ritual significance. The use of copper evokes sacred authority and is closely associated with the spiritual power of the leader, or ‘master of the land’, of Tshikolondondo. As such, these masks served not merely as ceremonial regalia but also as potent expressions of political legitimacy and spiritual authority. Their importance is illustrated by a series of photographs taken by Marie-Louise Bastin in 1956, showing Chief Tshikolondondo holding one of these masks, thereby underscoring its status as a privileged emblem of power and leadership.
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About the sale The Jean-Jacques Rotthier Collection: Art from Africa and Oceania
Auction location
Auction time 09/08/2026 at 4:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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