EO.0.0.40078
Gesculpteerde stoel van chef Gambunda die de wanpraktijken in de palmolieindustrie aanklaagt / Chaise sculptée du chef Gambunda, dénonçant les mauvaises pratiques dans l'industrie de l'huile de palme / Sculpted chair of Chief Gambunda, denouncing malpractices in the palm oil industry. Kwango, RD Congo [Pende]. Before 1943. Wood. Purchase from E. Bastin. EO.0.0.40078.
A purchase
This chair was sold in 1943 by E. Bastin to the museum along with an ensemble of 35 pieces. No biographical information – familial, professional, or other – has been able to shed light on the reasons and networks by which the seller came into possession of this and other Congolese objects. It is likely that he was one of a growing number of collectors of such Congolese pieces.
The sculptor
This chair was made by the sculptor Muledi in 1924 for the enthronement of the Pende chief Gambunda in the village of Mukulu, in the Bandundu region. Muledi is said to have carved a dozen chairs for the chiefs of the region. The sculptor was known for his chairs, on which he used iconography to depict the economic realities that were the basis of political power at that time.
It is likely that Chief Gambunda sold this chair in the early 1930s, but it is unclear why he decided to part with the prestigious object in perfect condition.
Impact of colonisation
Research has shown that from the occupation of the Pende region by Belgium in the 1910s, chiefs, dancers and sculptors reacted to the external market generated by Western collectors. Some objects were designed directly for the market. Others were sold when they were too worn and the owner wanted to replace them. Of course, sellers were also driven by the need to pay taxes in foreign currency.
