Location

not on view

Fun Fact

This figure combines Kongo artists’ attention to symmetry with the Western depiction of Christ, lifeless on the cross.

Description

One of two Christian-inspired objects in the Delenne collection identifying the far-reaching networks of trade, diplomacy, religion, and cross-cultural exchange. Kongo Christian symbols were created as spiritual tools to help explain and alleviate the turbulent situation between Central African religion and Catholicism. This figurine is geometric in style, combining both Christian ideals and preexisting Kongo artistic practices. Its pierced hands and feet link him to crucifixion images.

Provenance

?-1945

Charles Ralet, Brussels, BE, 1945, sold to Jef and René Vanderstraete

1945-1959

Jef and René Vanderstraete, Lasne, BE, 1959, sold to René and Odette Delenne

1959-2010

René [1901-1998] and Odette Delenne [1925-2012], Brussels, BE, 2010, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art

2010

The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH, 2010

Citations

de Borchgrave d'Alténa, J. "Christs de l'ancien Congo." L'Artisan et les Arts Liturgiques [special issue on Art chrétien du Congo] 18, vol 4 (1949): 376. Reproduced: p. 376, fig. 1

Petridis, Constantine, et al. Fragments of the Invisible: The René and Odette Delenne Collection of Congo Sculpture. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art. Milan: 5 Continents Editions, 2013, 40-41, 54-58, 108. Reproduced: p. 42; mentioned: pp. 40, 108 112, cat. 5

Exhibition history

Musées royaux d'Art et d'Histoire, Brussels, Belgium (1945-1949)

Leuven, Belgium

Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium.

Fragments of the Invisible: The Rene and Odette Delenne Collection of Congo Sculpture. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 27, 2013-February 9, 2014).

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Corpus (Crucified Christ)

Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo or Cabinda, Kongo people

Location

Fun Fact

Description