Siège , Ngombé, République Démocratique du Congo

collects ion E. Godefroid, Kinshasa, années 1970
collects ion Pierre Dartevelle, Bruxelles, 1980-2003
Didier Claes, Bruxelles
Philippe Guimiot, Bruxelles       
collects ion privée, acquis de ce dernier en 2005

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Ce siège s'impose comme le chef-d'œuvre du type. A l'épure du mouvement en curule répondent l'élan et la force des six pieds droits, portant à son paroxysme la justesse de la forme. Tandis qu'au dos la tension de la courbe est accentuée par les trois lignes aux crêtes dentelées, l'impact visuel redouble dans le décor à têtes de clous en cuivre envahissant la surface.

Les sièges à assise incurvée, remarqués par les premiers explorateurs, relèvent d'un type très ancien, diffusé sur les deux rives du fleuve Congo. Ici, l'abondante présence des clous de laiton permet de préciser son origine Ngombé (Van Leynseele in Barbier-Mueller, 2003, 188-191).
Dès 1880, avec l'expansion du commerce fluvial le long du fleuve Congo, les Ngombé s'enrichirent et s'approvisionnèrent en marchandises de traite. Parmi celles-ci, les "clous de tapissier" (inkwambani) en laiton devinrent un signe ostentatoire qui se déploya généreusement dans le décor du mobilier, et en particulier des sièges (idem). Selon Cornet (1975: 129, n°97), les pièces de cette dimension étaient réservées à l'usage des chefs. Ici, le nombre très important de clous atteste de la richesse et du statut social élevé de son propriétaire.

Outre la diffusion de cette mode décorative au Congo, les artistes européens du début du XX^e siècle furent très influencés par ces objets mobiliers. Un des exemples les plus emblématiques en est l'œuvre du relieur et designer français Pierre-Emile Legrain (1889-1929). Célèbre pour le mobilier qu'il créa pour Jacques Doucet, l'art africain qu'il découvrit à cette occasion avait "modifié sa sensibilité" (Legrain in Rosenthal, 1923, Vol. I: 68). Il est parfois resté très proche du modèle africain, en particulier pour le siège africaniste conservé au Museum of Replica Handbags s de Richmond, reprenant la forme des tabourets incurvés Ngombé (Thorthon, 1972). 

Voir Benitez Johannot et Barbier-Mueller (2003, p. 186-187) pour un siège de type comparable dans la collects ion du Barbier-Mueller (inv. BMG 1026-125), montrant, suspendue au motif dorsal, une cloche en laiton.

Ngombe stool, Democratic Republic of the Congo

This seat stands out as one of the major specimens of its style. Its clean, curule lines are complemented by the thrust and the sense of strength given by the six straight legs, bringing its formal balance to a paroxysm. On the back, the tautness of the curves is emphasised by three parallel crested lines, while the visual impact is amplified by the brass nail-head decor that covers the surface of the chair.

Chairs with a curved seat were noticed by the first explorers and are part of a very ancient type that could be found in objects from both shores of the Congo River. In this piece, the profusion of brass nails is an indication of Ngombe origins. (Van Leynseele in Barbier-Mueller, 2003, 188-191).

As early as 1880, with the expansion of river trade along the Congo River, the Ngombe grew rich and purchased trade goods. Amongst those goods were brass "upholstery nails" (inkwambani), which became an ostentatious sign that was generously displayed in the decoration of furniture, especially on seats (ibid). According to Cornet (1975: 129, n°97), items of this size were designed for the sole use of chiefs. In this piece the large number of nails is a test.mes nt to the wealth and social ranking of the owner.

Aside from this decorative trend in the Congo, these furnishings also had a great impact on European artists in the 20th century. One of the most emblematic examples of this was French bookbinder and designer Pierre-Emile Legrain (1889-1929). He was celebrated for the furniture he created with Jacques Doucet and he said that his discovery of African art on this occasion "had changed his artistic sensibility" (Legrain in Rosenthal, 1923, Vol. I: 68). He somet.mes s created furniture that closely resembled the African pieces that were its inspiration, most notably, the Africanist seat kept in the Museum of Replica Handbags s in Richmond, which replicates the shape of curved Ngombe stools (Thorthon, 1972).

See Benitez Johannot and Barbier-Mueller (2003, p. 186-187) for a comparable type of seat kept in the Barbier-Mueller collects ions (inv. BMG 1026-125) with a brass bell hanging from the rear pattern.