This section will be available this Autumn.
Samuel Vanhoegaerden Gallery
Karel Appel (Amsterdam 1921-2006 Zurich) People, Birds and Sun, 1951 Gouache and pastel on paper, mounted on canvas 65 x 100 cm Signed and dated lower right Provenance: the estate of the artist; Galerie Max Hetzler, London Exhibition: Karel Appel-Cobra/Non Cobra, Galerie Max Hetzler, London, January-February 2024 This work by Karel Appel embodies the playful, instinctive visual language that makes his finest Cobra-period pieces so instantly recognizable. As the original version of the painting held in the Tate Gallery’s collection, this piece offers a glimpse into the evolution of a composition in which the imagination is given free rein. A child, a bird, a sun, and fantastical creatures appear alongside and intertwined with one another, without ever conforming to a traditional representation of reality. The figures are childlike and direct. Large eyes, erratic contours, and bold, spontaneous lines lend them an expressive presence. Appel does not paint what he sees, but rather he paints what he imagines and senses. The exuberant colors - yellow, red, green, blue, and black - collide, overlap, and amplify one another. The yellow plane infuses the composition with light and energy, while the dark lines provide structure to the various figures. This combination of childlike spontaneity and controlled painterly craft lies at the heart of Appel’s Cobra aesthetic.
Galerie Nicolas Bourriaud
Raymond de Meester (Mechelen 1904-1995 Brussels) Yawning Leopard, circa 1928-1929 Bronze with a nuanced brown patina H 45.2 x W 41.6 x D 15.5 cm Signed ‘Rd de Meester de B’, titled ‘Yawning Leopard’ and dated ‘1928–29’ Batardy cast, edition of 3, numbered I/III, bearing the stamp ‘BATARDY CIRE PERDUE BRUXELLES’, and the inscriptions ‘Épreuve d’Artiste’ and ‘cire perdue’ Literature: Léonard Dieleman, Raymond de Meester de Betzenbroeck, Animal Sculptor, Gallery Dieleman, Brussels 1989, repr. n° 5; Xavier de Ghellinck Vaernewyck, ‘de Meester de Betzenbroeck’, Nouvelle Biographie Nationale, Part 6, Royal Academy of Belgium, Brussels, 2001, pp. 133–135
Herwig Simons Fine Arts
Door lock with Christ and the Twelve Apostles 17th-century Provenance: former private collection, Belgium Finely crafted 17th-century door lock, featuring an elaborate openwork design depicting Christ and the Twelve Apostles. The lock retains its original key and the lock is in good working order. A fascinating example of 17th-century decorative ironwork, combining historical significance religious iconography, and intricate craftsmanship.
Desmet Fine Art
Odoardo Fantacchiotti (Rome 1809-1877 Florence) Musidora, Firenze, 1859 Inspired by James Thomson’s poem ‘Summer’, originally published in 1727 Marble H 167.6 x W 49 x D 49 cm Plinth: H 95.3 x D 63 cm (at base) Total height: 262.9 cm Signed 'Per commis del meritis / ... / Odoardo Fantachiotti / Scolpiva in Firenze / l'anno 1859 Art Loss Register: S00258863 Provenance: commissioned by August Belmont (1813-1890) USA; Randall family, Clarendon Court (Newport, USA) Literature: Ricordi fotografici degli artisti contemporanei in Toscana: ‘La Musidora’(Firenze-1858); V. Lia Bernini, G. Moradei, Odoardo Fantacchiotti scultore (1811-1877): atti delle giornate di studio nel bicentenario della nascita 1811-2011, (Toscana 2021), Volume 227, pp. 37-41 Other verions: 1862, for Baron Belper, Edward Strutt (Israele collection); 1865, for the King of Portugal (Lisbon Palacio Nacional da Ajuda)
Galerie Cento Anni
Philippe Wolfers (Brussels, 1858-1929) La source, 1908 White marble and green marble for the base H 60 cm Signed 'Ph. Wolfers' Provenance: Wolfers' family Literature: Werner Adriaenssens and Raf Steel, The Wolfers Dynasty, pp. 154 and 392, n° 223 Exhibitions: Brussels, 1908; Brussels, 1928; Ghent, 1979
Galerie bei der Albertina ▪ Zetter
Dagobert Peche (Sankt Michael im Lungau 1887-1923 Mödling) Lamp, Design 1921 Manufactured by the Wiener Werkstätte, model number M 3494-M la 24 Brass, embossed, floral decoration, foot with beaded decoration, one flame, lamp shade renewed, new electrification H 87 cm - Ø 46 cm (lamp shade) Marks: WIENER / WERK / STÄTTE, monogram DP According to the MAK only two lamps were manufactured in the year 1923 Provenance: collection Schedlmayer Literature: cf. WW Archive, MAK Vienna, design sketch lamp base KI 12649-5-2, photo archive inventory n° WWF 98-116-1 as well as entry in the book of commissions of the Wiener Werkstätte model book WWKA 679; cf. Exhibition catalogue ‘Die Überwindung der Utilität. Dagobert Peche und die Wiener Werkstätte’, ed. by Peter Noever, MAK, Vienna 1998, ill. p. 221, n° 51; cf. Exhibition catalogue ‘Dagobert Peche and the Wiener Werkstätte’, ed. by Peter Noever, MAK, Vienna 1998, Neue Galerie, New York 2002, ill. p. 228, n° 45; Exhibition catalogue ‘Die Sammlung Schedlmayer. Die Entdeckung’, ed. by Ivan Ristic, Hans-Peter Wipplinger, Leopold Museum, Vienna 2021, ill. p. 72 Exhibition: Vienna, Leopoldmuseum, 'Die Sammlung Schedlmayer. Eine Entdeckung', 2021 Josef Hoffmann, one of the founders of the Wiener Werkstätte, hired the then 28 year old Dagobert Peche as a leading designer for the Wiener Werkstätte in 1915. With his finesse and elegance Peche fundamentally shaped the second decade of the Wiener Werkstätte, heading the Zurich branch of the Wiener Werkstätte from 1917 to 1919. Floral ornamentation and playful designs play a key role in his artistic works full of subtlety and imagination, which contrasted the strict geometric designs of Hoffmann and Koloman Moser. Before his untimely death he was involved in the opening of the ‘Wiener Werkstätte of America’ showroom on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. According to the records of the MAK, Vienna’s Museum of Applied Arts, this table lamp was produced only twice, in 1923. It was part of the renowned Schedlmayer collection – a high-ranking collection bringing together prime examples of Austrian decorative arts and works of fine art from the first half of the 20th century. In 2021 this lamp was presented at the Leopold Museum’s exhibition 'The Schedlmayer collection. A discovery'.
Harold t’Kint de Roodenbeke
Jane Graverol (Brussels 1905-1984 Fontainebleau) Femme Libérée, 1949 Oil on canvas 60 x 73 cm Signed and dated 'Jane Graverol 1949' Provenance: collection of his friend and artist Tom Gutt Literature: Xavier Canonne, Le surréalisme en Belgique: 1924-2000, Fonds Mercator, 2006; Le surréalisme en Belgique, Bozar Books, Fonds Mercator, 2024 Exhibitions: Le surréalisme en Belgique, Musée de Mons, March-August 2007; Histoire de ne pas rire, Bozar, Brussels, February-June 2024, ill. p. 221 Created in 1949, the year Jane Graverol met René Magritte, this work is an important example of the artist’s exploration of female identity and confinement. Graverol depicts herself inside a cage. The image reflects on women’s position in the mid-20th century, when social expectations strongly limited women’s independence. Yet, the open door suggests the possibility of emancipation and a desire to break away from prescribed roles. The painting was also repeatedly selected by the press to illustrate coverage of the Bozar exhibition. This artwork embodies something larger: the tension between the restrictions of an era and a woman’s desire to claim a space of her own. Full press references available on request.
Grusenmeyer-Woliner
Power figure (Nkisi) Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kongo, Mayombe region, late 19th century Wood, seeds, beads, metal, glass, and plant fibers (raffia) H 24.5 cm H 29.5 cm (including base) Provenance: Mathias Komor Gallery, New York, USA, 1960s; Elliot Picket (by 1974); Aaron and Joyce Furman, New-York, USA; Daniel Hourdé, Paris; Galerie Alain de Monbrison, Paris Publication: Picket, Elliot, 'L’art Africain congloméré', Arts d’Afrique noire, n° 10, Summer 1974, n° 19, p. 33 Standing just 24.5 cm tall, this exceptional female nkisi from the Mayombe region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo possesses a presence far greater than its size suggests. Its piercing, wide-open eyes, finely modelled features and harmonious proportions reveal the remarkable quality of the carving, while the striking accumulation of black seeds surrounding the body adds to the intensity of its beautifully balanced composition. In Kongo tradition, nkisi figures were created to protect, heal and mediate between the visible and invisible worlds. Activated by a nganga, a ritual specialist and healer, they embodied spiritual forces believed to influence human life. This female figure, with her hands holding her breasts, evokes fertility, motherhood and the continuity of the lineage, while also fulfilling a protective function. At the centre of her abdomen, a mirror conceals a ritual cavity containing bilongo, a potent combination of plant, mineral and animal substances. The mirror establishes a symbolic connection with the spirit world, while the small cowrie shell adorning her forehead evokes prosperity and fertility. What makes this sculpture particularly compelling is the exceptional preservation of its ritual attributes. The abdominal receptacle, its mirror and ritual contents have survived, offering valuable insight into the figure's original spiritual function. Its richly layered, time-worn patina, thick and encrusted in places, bears witness to its ritual history. Equally fascinating are the numerous glossy black seeds, probably from a tropical vine of the Dioclea genus, which have survived along with the cords securing them. Combining sculptural refinement, spiritual significance and a rich assemblage of preserved ritual elements, this intimate yet commanding figure stands as a remarkable testament to the artistic traditions of the Mayombe region.
Alexis Lartigue
Victor Vasarely (Pecs 1906-1997 Paris) Untitled, circa 1958, Oil on masonite 120 x 100 cm Signed lower center Provenance: private collection, USA; Christie’s sale, London; Lo Guidice Gallery, Chicago; Sotheby's sale, London; private collection, London; Christie’s sale, London; Galerie Zlotowski, Paris; private collection, Europe; Sotheby's sale, Paris; private collection, Switzerland Exhibition: Philadelphia, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Summer Loans, 1970
Galerie Édouard Ambroselli
Artus Quellinus the Younger (Sint-Truiden 1625-1700 Antwerp) Virgin and Child, circa 1650-1665 Terracotta, stone H 81.2 x W 42.5 x D 34 cm Born into a dynasty of sculptors in the Southern Netherlands, Arthus Quellinus theYounger, became one of the leading artists of the region. He followed his cousin, Artus Quellinus the Elder, to work on the Amsterdam Town Hall, a landmark of European sculpture. Back in Antwerp, he ran a workshop that trained a successful generation of sculptors, and he exported his works across Europe. Our Virgin and Child, is a preparatory model for a larger statue. The Virgin’s elongated face and elaborate hairstyle, the Child’s plump belly and slender legs, and the crisp, flowing drapery are all hallmarks of the artist’s refined style. The throne is decorated with cherub heads and volutes that differ on each side, a way of offering the patron a choice between two decorative solutions. Spontaneous and intimate, this terracotta gives us the intimacy of a working model, a glimpse of the sculptor’s creative process.
Univers du Bronze
Rembrandt Bugatti (Milan 1884-1916 Paris) Deux antilopes Goudou or 'Deux Amis', circa 1911 Bronze, dark brown patina H 23.1 x L 43.2 x D 11.9 cm Signed 'R. Bugatti' Original cast and edition by 'A.-A. Hébrard cire perdue Paris' (seal and inscribed in the wax 'Fondu en 1925'), engraved '(13)' Edition cast in 1925
Brun Fine Art
James Cox (London 1723-1800 Watford) and Charles Magniac (Bedford 1786-1824 Paris) Coffer, circa 1760 Gilt bronze and glass painted in imitation of agate, pearls and precious stones 15.8 x 24.5 x 19 cm Engraved 'C3' on the inside front edge Expertise by Enrico Colle Literature: E. Colle, Enrico Colle, Brueghel: the Spirit of Collecting. Paintings. Sculptures. Wonders., Milan, 2026, pp. 294-299 Exhibitions: Brun Fine Art and De Jonckheere, Brueghel: the Spirit of Collecting. Paintings. Sculptures. Wonders., Milan, 2026
Galerie Flak
U’u Club Marquesas Islands, Polynesia, 18th or 19th century Carved wood and fibers H 138.5 cm Provenance: David Petty collection, London; Pierre-Richard Royer collection, Paris; Alexandre Bernand collection, Paris; private collection, acquired from the above in September 2016 Exhibition: TEFAF 2024, Maastricht, Serge Schoffel, catalogue T3, p. 28
Marty de Cambiaire
Hans Rottenhammer (Munich 1564-1625 Augsburg) Minerva and the Muses, 1606 Oil on copper 32.8 x 39.4 cm Signed with a monogram and dated '1606/ HR' on the rock, centre right Provenance: said to have belonged to the Earl of Roseberry, Mentmore, Buckinghamshire; private collection, Danbury, Connecticut; Jean-Luc Baroni Ltd., London, 2011; Charles Petit collection, London, 2011; Sotheby’s, London, 8 July 2015, lot 39; private collection Literature: Bernard Aikema, in 'Hans Rottenhammer', exhibition catalogue, Munich, 2004, p. 38, repr. fig. 55; Jean-Luc Baroni, 'Master Paintings at the Tefaf Art and Antiques Fair', cat. 2011, n° 8
Franck Anelli Fine Art
Secretary Charles Topino (1742-1803), master in 1773 Transition period Oak, Breccia marble top, bronze and marquetry in rosewood, amaranth, holly, sycamore, lemonwood, stained woods and tobacco wood H 139 x W 92 x D 38 cm Stamped TOPINO and bearing the Jurande hallmark Transition period secretary in wardrobe stamped Charles TOPINO (1742-1803) and Jurande hallmark. Rectangular in shape, the front uprights with cut sides, the front legs arched, the hind legs straight, the oak frame, it opens with a drawer, two leaves and a flap revealing a compartmentalized interior of seven drawers and four compartments. Top of breccia marble from Aleppo. Inlaid decoration in rosewood, amaranth, holly, sycamore, lemon tree, stained wood, tobacco wood, drawing lattices on the uprights and the upper drawer, those of the latter, embellished with flowers, and trompe-l'oeil on the front and on the sides, a decoration of garlands of oval cartouches of stylised acanthus leaves uniting the panels of the toilet seat and the leaves, each also presenting, in the upper part, a leafy garland that can be found on the side panels. The latter are decorated with two gadrooned urns close to the flowered vases of the leaves. The toilet seat has a trompe-l'oeil perspective decoration, an orangery whose open shutters give a glimpse of a wooded landscape in the distance, a perspective accentuated by the checkerboard paving, also present on the leaves. Eight boxes of fruit trees are spread around a table on which are placed two flowered vases and under which is a watering can. The interior reveals six side drawers in three rows, inlaid with a floral vase pattern, as well as a central drawer. Stamped TOPINO and hallmark of Jurande Charles TOPINO received master in 1773 The art of marquetry The bronzes are discreet on our desk and this is intended to give pride of place to marquetry, qualified as wooden painting. If it is possible and tempting - rightly to link a cabinetmaker to his marquetry and this is regularly the case for Topino whose utensil marquetry inspired by the borders of Chinese Coromandel lacquer screens of the time is a characteristic of the artist - it turns out that the models circulated and that inlaid panels could be used by the same circle of cabinetmakers. If the vases, potiches, flowers, utensils reproduced, invented, associated, allow us to recognize Topino's art, it should be noted that the framing motif made up of oval reserves with quartefeuilles and spandrels can be found on secretaries, a chest of drawers and a dressing table stamped Jacques Bircklé. By this same cabinetmaker, a secretary also presents the same vases present on our furniture. Very similar marquetry panels. both in their compositions and in their frames can be found on a chest of drawers attributed to Jacques Bircklé, illustrated in the book by Pierre Kjellberg, who also defines the paving pattern as Bircklé's 'almost exclusiveness'. our secretary thus witnessed the circulation of drawn or engraved models.
Waddington Custot
Jean Hélion (Couterne, Rives-d'Andaine 1904–1987 Paris) Homme au chapeau, 1943 Oil on canvas 58.1 x 43.1 cm Signed and dated on reverse ‘Hélion va 43’ This work is recorded in the online catalogue raisonné de l’oeuvre peint de Jean Hélion, no. 876 (http://www.helion-cat-rais.com/moteur/pop.php?id=1216) Provenance: John Ashbery, New York (directly from the artist); Connaught Brown, London Exhibitions: ‘Jean Hélion’, Spencer A. Samuels & Co., Ltd, New York, 7 April–22 May 1976, catalogue no. 8 (repro. In b&w); ‘Works from the Collection of John Ashbery’, Kasmin Gallery, New York, 1 November–22 December 2018; ‘Regards croisés’, Waddington Custot, Paris, 11 June–26 September 2026
Galerie Raf Van Severen
Rik Wouters (Mechelen 1882-1916 Amsterdam) Portrait of Rik Wouters, Chemise Blanche, 1912 Oil on canvas mounted on panel 51.5 x 61.5 cm Annotated at the back: Nr 99 Portrait de Rik Wouters par lui même toile collée sur panneau; Mme V: Rik Wouters; Portret van Rik Dhr Mevr. De Carnière Provenance: previous collection of Nel Wouters; Leten collection, Ghent; private collection, Brussels Literature: Roger Avermaete, Rik Wouters, Editions Arcade, Brussels, 1965
Galerie Raf Van Severen
Jean Brusselmans (Brussels 1884-1953 Dilbeek) Decor for Erwartung, 1936 Mixed media on paper 60 x 90 cm Label at the back; Erwartung; Decor pour 'Erwartung', d’Arnold Schoenberg, 1936; Décor pour le 4e acte Literature: Paul Haesaerts, Jean Brusselmans, 1939, p. 67; Robert L. Delevoy, Jean Brusselmans: CR établi par Mme G. Brys-Schatan, 1972, 421.IV
BOON GALLERY
Kim Tschang Yeul (North Korea, Maengsan County 1929-2021 Seoul) Water Drop, 1983 Oil and sand on canvas 24 x 19 cm Signed on reverse Certificate of authenticity by the Kim Tschang Yeul estate, Paris, 2026 The Poetry of Transparency, Matter & Memory Kim Tschang-Yeul’s Water Drop (1983) is an iconic work of modern Korean art. It transforms a simple droplet into a meditation on existence, memory, and time. Set against a rough, earthy surface, the transparent drop appears luminous and delicate. Its subtle golden reflections contrast with the dense texture beneath it. This opposition evokes the tension between permanence and impermanence. Kim Tschang-Yeul (1929–2021) devoted nearly five decades to painting water drops. His artistic vision was shaped by the Japanese occupation and the Korean War. These experiences inspired reflections on suffering, remembrance, and reconciliation. For Kim, the droplet symbolized purification, inner peace, and spiritual renewal. The meticulous act of painting became a form of meditation. The textured background represents the material world, while water suggests fragility. Its reflections and shadows create a remarkable illusion of reality. The surrounding emptiness enhances the composition’s silence and contemplative power. Kim’s work resonates with Buddhist and Taoist ideas of emptiness and impermanence. It also explores the interconnectedness and transience of all existence. By 1983, he had gained international recognition, particularly in Paris. His art bridges Eastern philosophical traditions and Western pictorial techniques. Although related to Dansaekhwa, his water drops express a distinctive artistic identity. Today, his paintings remain emblematic of Korean modernism. Ultimately, Water Drop transforms a fleeting moment into a timeless meditation on beauty, memory, and transcendence.
Guy Pieters Gallery
Pierre Alechinsky (Brussels, 1927) Paysage impressionné, 1959 Oil on canvas 205 x 289 cm Pierre Alechinsky’s ‘Paysage impressionné’, executed in 1959, is a large oil painting from an important early period in the artist’s career. Painted after the CoBrA movement had dissolved, it reflects his interest in spontaneous, expressive forms, a vivid sense of movement and the freedom of the brush. The lively brushwork and interplay of colours give the painting a sense of movement, while the broad composition feels balanced and harmonious. This combination of energy and control makes the work especially engaging.
LUDORFF
Serge Poliakoff (Moscow 1900-1969 Paris) Composition abstraite, circa 1956 Oil on canvas 130 x 89 cm Signed lower left The authenticity of this work is confirmed by Alexis Poliakoff and is registered in the Archives Serge Poliakoff, Paris, under n° 95604 Provenance: Etta & Otto Stangl collection, Munich (1971); on permanent loan to Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlung, Munich (1971-2001); Stangl collection estate, Munich (2001-2003); Sotheby's, London (auction 6 Februrary 2003, lot 21); Galerie Bernard Cats, Brussels; Willy d'Huysser Gallery, Brussels (2003); private collection Belgium; Frans Jacob Fine Art, Amsterdam; Galerie Interart, Geneva (2016); Galerie Pascal Lansberg, Paris (2024); private collection Hesse Literature: Alexis Poliakoff, 'Serge Poliakoff-Catalogue Raisonné', vol. II, 1955-1958, Paris 2010, n° 56-63; Connaissance des Arts (Hg.), 'Connaissance des Arts', n° 609, October 2003, p. 137; Marchiori, Giuseppe (Hg.), 'Serge Poliakoff. témoignages et textes critiques, Les Presses de la Connaissance', Paris, 1976, p. 62 Exhibitions: 'Documenta III', 27 June-5 October 1964, Kassel; 'Serge Poliakoff-Rétrospective', traveling exhibition: Kestner-Gesellschaft, Städtische Kunsthalle Bremen, Museum am Ostwall, Overbeck-Gesellschaft, Haus der Städtische Kunstsammlungen Bonn, Württembergischer Kunstverein, Städtisches Museum Trier, 1963-1964; Kunstverein für das Rheinland, 'Serge Poliakoff', 14 November-14 December 1958, Düsseldorf; Kunstverein Hamburg, 'Serge Poliakoff', 12 April-18 May 1958, Hamburg; Moderne Galerie Otto Stangl, 'Serge Poliakoff', 9 August-20 September 1957, Munich
Rueb Modern and Contemporary Art
Jan Sluijters ('s-Hertogenbosch 1881-1957 Amsterdam) Greet van Kooten with headband, 1910 Oil on canvas 35.5 x 42 cm Signed and dated Provenance: Salomon Beffie collection, Amsterdam; Willem Beffie collection, New York; Galerie van Voorst van Beest, The Hague; Reens collection, Amsterdam; A.J. van Hillegondsberg collection, Blaricum; private collection, Amsterdam Literature: online catalogue raisonné Jan Sluijters - www.rkd.nl/images/100130 Exhibition: The Hague, Pulchri Studio, Paintings, drawings and pointes-sèches of Jan Sluijters and Lodewijk, Schelfhout, 3 July-25 July 1915, n° 40 After winning the prestigious Prix de Rome, Jan Sluijters received a grant that enabled him to travel to Rome and later to Paris. There, he encountered Fauvism, an avant-garde movement that emerged in the early 20th century. The Fauves revolutionised the use of colour, applying vivid, unmixed colours directly to the canvas. Their bold approach challenged artistic conventions and initially provoked criticism. The art critic Louis Vauxcelles famously nicknamed them les fauves (“the wild beasts”). Together with Piet Mondrian and Leo Gestel, Sluijters became one of the leading representatives of Dutch Luminism, a movement that developed around 1909 and embraced the expressive power of light and intense colour. Painted in 1910, Greet van Kooten with Headband is an early example of Sluijters’s exploration of this vibrant new style. Its striking colours reflect the influence of Fauvism, while demonstrating his own distinctive approach to colour and light. Greet van Kooten was Sluijters’s favourite model; she later became his wife in 1913.
Caretto & Occhinegro
Jan Provoost (Mons 1465-1529 Bruges) Crucifixion with a view of the city of Bruges, circa 1512-1515 Oil on panel 31.5 x 25 cm Expertise by Peter van den Brink Active primarily in Bruges between the late 15th and early 16th centuries, Provoost centered his art on a formidable capacity for aesthetic synthesis, marked by highly intellectual nuances and an unmistakable solemn style capable of blending diverse influences, from Van Eyck to Antonello da Messina. A shining example of this is this small Calvary, where three modernly minimalist figures are arranged with skillful geometry against a meticulously detailed view of the city of Bruges stretching out behind them. While Provoost explored this subject in other versions, always incorporating detailed cities in the background, none features such a precise and topographical view of Bruges. Indeed, one can readily recognize the belfry of the Church of Our Lady, the now-lost architectural structure of the Jerusalem Chapel of Bruges (still intact at the time), and the tower of the city's town hall.
Dalton Somaré
Chokwe chair Angola, late 19th century Wood, metal, and leather H 68 x W 31 x D 38 cm Provenance: collection of Joyce and Donald Doyle, diamond mine directors for the Compagnie de la Forminière in the Belgian Congo in the 1920s. The majority of their collection was donated to the Princeton University Art Museum. Thence by descent to their daughter Suzanne "Sue" Miers, née Doyle (1922–2016), Africanist historian and professor at Ohio University. Thence by descent to her children Charles Miers and Caroline Farrington, New York Literature: Narrative Wisdom and African Arts (Exhibition catalogue), St. Louis Art Museum, 19 October-16 February, 2025, pp. 74, 75, 81 Exhibition: Narrative Wisdom and African Arts, St. Louis Art Museum, 19 October-16 February, 2025 This leather-seated chair belongs to a tradition of Chokwe seats of authority, commonly described as ngundja. Its refined decoration transforms a functional furnishing into a visual expression of chiefly prestige. Such seats formed part of a wider repertoire of objects associated with leadership, alongside ceremonial weapons, staffs and elaborately carved pipes. The combination of a backrest, a leather-covered seat and metal tacks reflects the adaptation of European furniture encountered through trade from the seventeenth century onward. Chokwe artists reworked these features within their own sculptural language, making the chair an expression of local political and spiritual values. At the centre of the back is a sculpted female face, which must be identified as Pwo. Pwo honours female ancestors and has particular significance within a society that traces descent through women. Her imagery also belongs to the wider world of masquerade and initiation. The lower stretchers carry small sculptural groups as musicians playing handheld drums and a slit drum, and a mounted pombeiro, or long-distance trader. It must be noted the unusual prominence of a female subject in these carved scenes. These scenes can be read within the broader Chokwe tradition of presenting ritual and everyday activities as aspects of the social world entrusted to a leader. Extremely sophisticated geometric carving and rows of metal studs enrich the back and supports, contrasting with the leather seat and the varied tones of the wood. The combination of carved figures, the monumentality of the composition and the rigour of the geometric decoration in high relief lend this sculpture the dignity and authority of a true throne.
