Budja (or Nbaka) crest, Democratic Republic of the Congo - Lot 40

Budja (or Nbaka) crest, Democratic Republic of the Congo Wood, deep honey patina, basketry, plant fibers Height: 53 cm Provenance : Fred Jahn Munich, Marc Léo Félix, Belgium, Lot 445, sale June 28, 2014, Zemanek, French private collection --- Budja Crest, (or Nbaka), Democratic Republic of the Congo Wood, deep honey patina, basketry, vegetable fibers Height: 53 cm Source: Fred Jahn Munich, Marc Léo Félix, Belgium, Lot 445, sale of 28 June 2014, Zemanek, French private collection Intriguing in its formal abstraction, this dance crest, whose function and symbolism remain largely unknown, is part of a very limited corpus of representations from the Budja and Ngbaka peoples of the Democratic Republic of Congo, whose cultural and artistic links still deserve to be explored in greater depth. Daringly inventive in its plasticity, the figure emerges from a plan that favors a refined, two-dimensional composition. The sculptural dynamic is expressed by alternating sharp lines with angular edges and rounded curves. Reduced to extreme stylization, the figure of the bird conjures up a universe of mythical and spiritual references. The evocative power of the mythical bird echoes the thought of American poet Henry David Thoreau, for whom the animal "deepens the meaning of all things which its accents evoke [...] and gives men clearer and higher ideas." (H.D Thoreau, Journal 1837-1852). In this context, it is not insignificant that this figure was integrated into agrarian rites, where the bird, messenger between heaven and earth, could embody forces of fertility and renewal. The head is distinguished by the prominent profile of its pointed beak, projected into space, whose curvature is accentuated by the regular arrangement of tubular ornaments. Expression is conveyed by large circular eyes, whose contours are defined by small resin rings. A sculpted rectangular appendage protrudes from the back of the neck, extended by a plant-fiber pompom attached to its tip. The sculptural tension resulting from the interplay of broken lines and alternating voids and solids is reinforced by the contrast between the magnificent ochre patina with red and brown highlights and the black pigments applied to the tip of the beak and body. The base of the sculpture is attached to a wickerwork headdress covered with a collar of plant fibers. The most remarkable example in the corpus, it illustrates the creative wealth of Budja artists and their contribution to the exploration of new expressive forms, fully in keeping with the tradition of formal audacity that characterizes sub-Saharan African sculpture. A balanced antinomy of opposing materials, from the rich, disordered raffia to the clean, smooth, sober clarity of the stylized face of the schematized antelope. The striking contrast magnifies this duality of materials and aspects, splitting the object in two while magnifying each of the parts represented. ___ Intrigued by its formal abstraction, this crest of dance, whose function and symbolism remain largely unknown, is part of a very limited corpus of representations from the Budja and the Ngbaka, two peoples of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, whose cultural and artistic links still deserve to be deepened. From a bold plastic inventiveness, the figure emerges from a plan that favors a refined and two-dimensional composition. The sculptural dynamic is expressed by the alternation of sharp lines with angular edges and rounded curves. Reduced to an extreme stylization, the figure of the bird evokes a universe of mythical and spiritual references. The evocative power of the mythical bird joins the thought of the American poet Henry David Thoreau, for whom the animal "deepens the meaning of all things that its accents evoke [...] and gives men clearer and higher ideas." (H.D Thoreau, Journal 1837-1852). In this context, it is not insignificant that this figure was integrated into agrarian rites, where the bird, messenger between heaven and earth, could embody forces of fertility and renewal. The head is distinguished by the protruding profile of its pointed beak, projected into space, whose curvature is accentuated by the regular arrangement of tubular ornaments. The expression is rendered by large circular eyes, whose contours are defined by small resin rings. A rectangular appendix carved protruding at the back of the neck, is extended by a pompom of vegetable fibers attached to its end. The sculptural tension, resulting from the play of broken lines and the alternation between empty and full, is enhanced by the contrast between the magnificent ochre patina with red and brown reflections and the