THE TRIBAL ART

The genius of the African artist made material a divine abstract concept, the super being. And he did it with nothing in the middle of nowhere, far from any objective influence, in the heart of swamps and hostile forests, a place that could break the most hardened spirit. “How? Why here and now?” will forever remain unanswered questions.

ART COLLECTOR | SKETCH ARTIST

GUARDIAN FIGURE

Kota, Gabon
Atelier of Semangoy
Middle of 19th cent
Wood, copper, brass, iron, shell
63 cm

Colonial Belgian Collection, Bruxelles
Galerie Ratton-Hourdé, Paris acquired from the above
Collection Marc Larock, Paris acquired from the above
Anna Demina Collection, Milan

Galerie Ratton-Hourdé, “Kota”, Paris, 2003, pp. 52-53
 Galerie Ratton, “Gabon”, Paris, 2017, pp. 42-43
Dalton Somaré, “Un’Avventura Estetica”, Milano, 2018, pp. 13-15
Origins, A Vision on African Art, Dalton Somaré Gallery, Milan, 2019, pp. 42/45

GUARDIAN FIGURE

Kota, Gabon
Middle of 19th cent.
Wood, copper, brass, iron
39 cm

The Pennsylvania University Museum, Philadelphia
Sturgis Ingersoll Collection, Philadelphia
William A. Mc Carty-Cooper Collection, Los Angeles
Christie’s, New York, 19 May 1992, Lot. 138
Arman Collection, New York
Samir Borro Collection, Bruxelles
A. Weißeneger Collection, Amsterdam
Private Collection, Paris
Dalton Somaré Gallery, Milan
Anna Demina Collection, Milan

Christie’s, New York, 19 May 1992, cover
Arman et l’Art Africain, Réunion des Musées Nationaux, 1996, p. 10

GUARDIAN FIGURE

Mbulu Ngulu
Kota, Gabon
Middle of 19th cent.

Wood, copper, brass, iron
32 cm

Collection Henri Kamer (1937 -1992), New York
Collection Daniel Hourdé, Paris, 1992, acquired from the above Collection John Dintenfass, New York, 1998, acquired from the above
Anna Demina Collection, Milan

Bruxelles Non European Art Fair- Bruneaf XXII, Catalogue, 2012, pp. 44-45
Origins, A Vision on African Art, Dalton Somaré Gallery, Milan, 2019, pp. 30/33

GUARDIAN FIGURE

Kota, Gabon
Middle of 19th cent.
Wood, copper, brass, iron
38 cm

Former Colonial French Collection
Galerie Alain de Monbrison, Paris
Private Collection, Paris
Dalton Somaré Gallery, Milan
Anna Demina Collection, Milan

Winter Bruneaf, Catalogue, Bruxelles, 2019

GUARDIAN FIGURE

Kota, Gabon
Late 19th cent.
Wood, copper, alloy
44,5 cm

Formerly in Merton Simpson’s collection,
New York, USA
Formerly in Viviane Jutheau, Comtesse de Witt’s collection 1985
Anna Demina Collection, Milan

Galerie Ratton, Gabon, Paris, 2017, pp.22-23

GUARDIAN FIGURE

Kota, Gabon
Late 19th cent.
Wood and metal
32 cm

French private’s collection and kept in the family since
Daniel Hourdé’s collection, Paris
Phillipe Ratton’s gallery, Paris
Anna Demina Collection

Galerie Ratton, Gabon, Paris, June-September 2017, pp.28-29

GUARDIAN FIGURE

KOTA Ndassa reliquary figure
Gabon / Congo
Wood, copper, alloy H. 47,5 cm
Late XIXth century

Colonial Belgian Collection, Bruxelles
Galerie Ratton-Hourdé, Paris acquired from the above
Collection Marc Larock, Paris acquired from the above
Anna Demina Collection, Milan

Galerie Ratton-Hourdé, “Kota”, Paris, 2003, pp. 52-53
 Galerie Ratton, “Gabon”, Paris, 2017, pp. 42-43
Dalton Somaré, “Un’Avventura Estetica”, Milano, 2018, pp. 13-15
Origins, A Vision on African Art, Dalton Somaré Gallery, Milan, 2019, pp. 42/45

GUARDIAN FIGURE

Kota, Gabon
Atelier of Semangoy
Middle of 19th cent
Wood, copper, brass, iron, shell
63 cm

Colonial Belgian Collection, Bruxelles
Galerie Ratton-Hourdé, Paris acquired from the above
Collection Marc Larock, Paris acquired from the above
Anna Demina Collection, Milan

Galerie Ratton-Hourdé, “Kota”, Paris, 2003, pp. 52-53
 Galerie Ratton, “Gabon”, Paris, 2017, pp. 42-43
Dalton Somaré, “Un’Avventura Estetica”, Milano, 2018, pp. 13-15
Origins, A Vision on African Art, Dalton Somaré Gallery, Milan, 2019, pp. 42/45

GUARDIAN FIGURE

Kota, Gabon
Atelier of Semangoy
Middle of 19th cent
Wood, copper, brass, iron, shell
63 cm

Colonial Belgian Collection, Bruxelles
Galerie Ratton-Hourdé, Paris acquired from the above
Collection Marc Larock, Paris acquired from the above
Anna Demina Collection, Milan

Galerie Ratton-Hourdé, “Kota”, Paris, 2003, pp. 52-53
 Galerie Ratton, “Gabon”, Paris, 2017, pp. 42-43
Dalton Somaré, “Un’Avventura Estetica”, Milano, 2018, pp. 13-15
Origins, A Vision on African Art, Dalton Somaré Gallery, Milan, 2019, pp. 42/45

GUARDIAN FIGURE

Kota, Gabon
19th cent
Wood, brass, copper, iron
74 cm

Collected in Gabon between 1926-1934 by a French doctor participating to the Expédition Citroën Centre Afrique and the construction of the Congo-Ocean Railway
Loudmer Drouot Montaigne, Paris, 1997
R.L. Collection, Paris
Dalton Somaré, Milano

GUARDIAN FIGURE

Kota Obamba, Gabon
19th cent
Wood, copper, brass
57 cm

Charles Ratton, Paris
Pace Primitive, New York
Private Collection, USA ( acquired from above in 1986)
Dalton-Somare Gallery, Milan
Anna Demina Collection Milan

MASK

Lumbu, Gabon
Late 19th – Early 20th cent.
Wood, glass, copper, pigments
31,5 cm

Ex Colonial French Collection
Galerie Bernard Dulon, Paris
Private Collection, Paris
Dalton Somaré Gallery, Milan
Anna Demina Collection, Milan

Les Lumbu. Un Art Sacré, Charlotte Grand-Dufay, 2016, p. 151
Un’Avventura Estetica, Galleria Dalton Somaré, Milan, 2018, pp. 9-11
Tendencias del Mercado del Arte, Madrid, Junio 2018, n. 114, front cover page
CULTURES, The World Art fair, Bruxelles, June 2018, Catalogue, p. 23
Origins, A Vision on African Art, Dalton Somaré Gallery, Milan, 2019, pp. 54/57

MASK

Muhunzu, Gabon
Late 19th cent.
Wood, natural pigments, raffia, hide
63 cm

Maud & René Garcia, Paris
Pace Primitive, New York, acquired circa 1980
Distinguished Private Collection, California
Anderson Family Collection, Connecticut, acquired 2003
Pace Primitive, New York (inv.54-4393)
Cole Harrell, New York, acquired from the above, 2016
Anna Demina Collection, Milan

MASK

Punu, Gabon
Late 19th – Early 20th cent.
Wood, pigments, kaolin

34 cm

Collected in situ around 1923
Private Collection, Paris
Galerie Ratton, Paris
Anna Demina Collection, Milan

Parcours des Mondes, Salon International Des Arts Premiers, Catalogue, Paris, 2018
Origins, A Vision on African Art, Dalton Somaré Gallery, Milan, 2019, pp. 48/51

MASK

Kota, Gabon
Atelier of Semangoy
Middle of 19th cent
Wood, copper, brass, iron, shell
63 cm

Colonial Belgian Collection, Bruxelles
Galerie Ratton-Hourdé, Paris acquired from the above
Collection Marc Larock, Paris acquired from the above
Anna Demina Collection, Milan

Galerie Ratton-Hourdé, “Kota”, Paris, 2003, pp. 52-53
 Galerie Ratton, “Gabon”, Paris, 2017, pp. 42-43
Dalton Somaré, “Un’Avventura Estetica”, Milano, 2018, pp. 13-15
Origins, A Vision on African Art, Dalton Somaré Gallery, Milan, 2019, pp. 42/45

MASK

Punu, Gabon

Late 19th cent. 

Wood, pigments, kaolin
19 cm

Collection Maurice Denis (1870-1943)
Renaud Vanuxem, Paris
Collection privée européenne
Sotheby’s Paris Sculpture 4.12.2020 lot 40
Anna Demina Collection, Milan

MASK

Gabon
Tsogho peoples
19th or early 20th century
Light wood, kaolin
30 cm

Cornette De St Cyr, June 2004, lot 160
Private collection, NY. Pace Gallery, NY
Private collection, CT
Ahdrc # 0050197
Anna Demina’s Collection

DANCE PADDLE

Vuvi, Gabon
Beginning 20th cent.
Wood and kaolin
29,5 cm

Collection Pierre Langlois, Lille
Collection du Pr. Pierre Bienayme
Gallery Philippe Ratton Paris
Collection Anna Demina Milan

FANG HEAD

Byeri, Gabon

Late 19th cent. 

Wood
13,5 cm

Collection Léonce Guerre (1880-1948), Marseille
Collection Pierre Guerre (1910-1978), Marseille, inv. n° 97
Collection Christine et Alain Vidal-Naquet, Marseille
Sotheby’s, Paris, Pierre Guerre, Art d’Afrique, 15 juin 2011, lot 5
Collection privée, acquis lors de cette vente
Christie’s Shape (s) 3.12. 2020 lot 11

Marseille, Musée Cantini, Arts africains, 23 mars – 2 août 1970
Marseille, Centre de la Vieille Charité, MAAOA – Musée d’Arts Africains, Océaniens, Amérindiens, Pierre Guerre. Un érudit en son temps, 20 mars – 31 mai 1992

SPIKE/PEG FIGURE

Congo
19th cent.
Ivory
11 cm

Formerly in Umberto Giacomelli’s collection, Italy. Received as a gift from His Eimnence A.Tamba, order of the Saveriani missionary, in a Kivu village in Lega territory circa 1970
Anna Demina Collection, Milan

PUNU STAFF FINIAL

Gabon
19th cent.
Wood
60 cm

Private French collection
Base Kichizo Inagaki
Sotheby’s lot 74, June 25, 2020
Anna Demina’s Collection, Milan

Arts d’Afrique, Paris, June 25, 2020

TSOGHO/VUVI HOUSE POST

Gabon
Early 20th cent.
Wood and polychromy
170 cm

Formerly in Galerie Philippe Guimiot, Bruxelles
Formerly in Dr Andrault’s collection
Formerly in Galerie Kanaga, Paris
Formerly in a private French collection
Anna Demina Collection, Milan

Galerie Ratton, Gabon, Paris, June-September 2017, pp.68-69

TSONGA SNUFF CONTAINER

Tsonga, South Africa and Zimbabwe
19th cent.
Hardwood
23 cm

Private collection, United Kingdom
Anna Demina’s Collection, Milan

HEADPIECE OF A HARP

Punu, Gabon
early 20th century

Gallery No. KKD-52, Collection No. MP-6

Until 1952 part of the historical collection of the ethnologist and trader Julius Konietzko, then inherited by his son Boris Kegel-Konietzko.

GUARDIAN FIGURE

Kota, Gabon
Atelier of Semangoy
Middle of 19th cent
Wood, copper, brass, iron, shell
63 cm

Colonial Belgian Collection, Bruxelles
Galerie Ratton-Hourdé, Paris acquired from the above
Collection Marc Larock, Paris acquired from the above
Anna Demina Collection, Milan

Galerie Ratton-Hourdé, “Kota”, Paris, 2003, pp. 52-53
 Galerie Ratton, “Gabon”, Paris, 2017, pp. 42-43
Dalton Somaré, “Un’Avventura Estetica”, Milano, 2018, pp. 13-15
Origins, A Vision on African Art, Dalton Somaré Gallery, Milan, 2019, pp. 42/45

LEGA FIGURE

Congo
Late 19th cent.

It was collected by Fernand-Francois Juve, a French territorial administrator in the Pangi region, between 1953-1960. Transmitted by descent.

SHIELD

Mangbetu People
D.R. of the Congo
Late 19th – Early 20th cent
Wood, feathers, basketry, fiber
115 cm

Dominican Missionary Sisters of Namur, around 1937
Didier Claes, Bruxelles
Anna Demina’s Collection, Milan

LEAF-SHAPE KNIVES

Gabon
19th to very early 20th cent.
54 cm – 62 cm – 53,5 cm

Privat English and French collections

PECTORAL / PENDANT

Ivory Coast
19-20th cent
Gold
10 cm

7 July 2021, Sotheby’s 

PECTORAL / PENDANT

Ivory Coast
19-20th cent
Gold
10 cm

7 July 2021, Sotheby’s 

BAULE PIN

Ivory Coast
19-20th cent
Wood & Gold
14 cm

C.H. Pirat, On the Trail of the Elephant… and that of Abu Ballas. The use of headrests in Africa, from prehistory to present, Rimedia editions, 2021, p. 204.