Event Details

An exhibition at Lempertz showcases for the first time the exceptional collection of inveterate dealer Pierre Dartevelle. He spent a great deal of time in Central Africa beginning in the middle of the 1960s and was, among other things, the discoverer of Hemba statuary. The approximately 100 objects shown span areas of the Congo such as Shaba, Kasaï, and the Lower Congo. Material from the latter is among the strongest suits of his collection. Songye figures; Lega masks; Lower Congo fetishes; wood, bronze, and ivory objects; and spectacular effigies all give us insight into the mind of a man with a consuming passion for the traditional arts of Africa. Laurent Jacob, who was also co-curator for the exhibition on Edmond Dartevelle (Pierre’s father) at the Musée Président Jacques Chirac in 2010, is responsible for putting together this show. He is assisted here by Tim Teuten of Lempertz auction house, where the show is being presented, who adds his expertise to the subject.