Les Affinités Électives d'Alexis Bonew at Sotheby's

On December 10, Sotheby's will present the African art collection of Alexis Bonew in Paris. Composed in an epic manner, this collection of art from the Congo reveals the work of a humanist spirit, a lover of ancient civilisations, ancient languages, Classical and African culture; a man whose appreciation for beauty consisted as much of philosophy and science as of feeling.

View the online catalogue.

Power figure  -  Songye, D.R. Congo

Muminia mask  -  Lega, D.R. Congo

Cannabis mortar  -  Luluwa, D. R. Congo

Ivory figure  -  Lega, D.R. Congo

Power figure  -  Kongo, D.R. Congo

Images courtesy of Sotheby's

Secrets d'Ivoire, l'art des Lega d'Afrique centrale

The exhibition Secrets d'Ivoire, l'art des Lega d'Afrique centrale (Secrets of Ivory, The Art of the Lega of Central Africa) presents many masterpieces of Lega art, one of the most important artistic traditions of central Africa. Held in the Jay T. Last collection of the Fowler Museum in Los Angeles, these works are now being shown for the first time in Europe. Passionate about Africa and African art, Jay T. Last started to build an impressive collection some forty years ago that had Lega art as its focus. He is donating more than 240 wood and ivory sculptures to the Fowler Museum that are now on view at the Musée du Quai Branly.

Visit the exhibition's official website.

Images courtesy of the Musée du Quai Branly

Inities, bassin Congo

On view now at the Musée Dapper in Paris, Initiés, bassin Congo (The Initiated: Congo Basin) is an homage to the material and immaterial richness of the initiation rituals of the peoples of Central Africa. Visitors will have the opportunity to admire major pieces from the Musée Royal d’Afrique Centrale in Tervuren. As it always does, the museum wants these older works to resonate with contemporary art, so it will simultaneously host an exhibition of creations by Romuald Hazoumé, whose well-known “masques-bidon,” or “jerrican masks,” represent both a continuation and a fertile reinvention of African traditions.

View the exhibition's official website.

Helmet mask  -  Bembe

Mask  -  Lega

Ivory pendants  -  Pende

Information and images courtesy of the Musée Dapper

African and Oceanic Art Sale at Sotheby's

Sotheby's will present a sale of exquisite traditional art and artifacts from West and Central Africa, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Indonesia, and many other geographical regions on June 18th in Paris.  

For more information, view the online catalogue.

Royal bowl  -  Yoruba, Nigeria

Primordial couple  -  Senufo, Côte d'Ivoire

Tatanua mask  -  New Ireland

Figural suspension hook  -  Iatmul, Papua New Guinea

Elephant hide mask  -  Lega, DR Congo

Mask  -  Fang, Gabon

Canoe prow ornament  -  Solomon Islands

Power figure  -  Suku, DR Congo

Images courtesy of Sotheby's