About

Ref. ODEB-CON-0020-BAPAPO002

Beautiful and expressive portrait of a black old man signed by Lufungula. Oil on chipboard. Unframed. Little is known about Lufungula, except that he was active in the 1950s, before the then Belgian Congo gained independence in 1960. When he lived, or when he started and stopped painting, is unknown. He must have been trained in European-style painting, either at an urban art school or at a missionary school in the rural areas. Although his usual subjects show typical "village scenes," so popular among western clients, the artist’s technique and style show personality and originality and the choice of this unusual subject -a highly expressive portrait-, the color palette and the application of thick patches of paint make this painting a very interesting work. Origin: Democratic Republic of Congo. Period: the 50s, colonial period, Belgian Congo. Conditions: Very good. Wear consistent with age and use. Some thin crackles under the beard. Traces of a frame on the edges.

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