Alex van Opstal an early African Art collector.
By Bernard de Grunne. (translated from French)
In 1932, Alexis van Opstal created an African room in
his big house," la Maison Blanche". This house in Brussels was
build and entirely decorated by the famous architect Jean-Michel
Franck.
The
African saloon showed a complete panorama of the artistic production of Belgian
Congo, who was at he origin of his fortune. This African saloon was done it the
1930's taste and gives also a clear view of the owners vision on Africa.
Salon africain de la Maison Blanche
d’Alexis van Opstal
mangbetu
statue (sold)
Alexis Jacques Jules Marie van Opstal (1874–1936),
was the one who created the ’Agence maritime internationale'.
Under his direction, a line Antwerp–Matadi was created and many new
travelers ships like the Anversville, the Elisabethville, the
Thysville, the Bruxellesville and the Albertville.
He married the niece of Albert Thys, and had two daughters Lucienne
and Mathilde. Mathilde had no children but her sister Lucienne married
Martin Thèves and had one daughter Isabelle, who owned the actual collection.
Luba- Van Opstal collection nr72- published in 1933 - Price (sold)
According to familial tradition most of the Art works was collected by
major Laurent, administrator of the Compagnie du Fer du Congo between
1902 & 1910 and who was a long time friend of the van Opstal family.
The comparison between old time pictures taken in 1933 and those from today
show with what respect the family kept this collection together and the African
saloon also reflect the high curiosity and sense of elegance et refined details
he had.
The collection was made of 899 lots subdivides in logical
categories like figurines, masks, seats, music instruments, pottery, ornaments,
moneys, ivories and weapons, but also some animal trophy as shown on the picture
below.
African
Saloon in the Maison Blanche from
Alex van Opstal
Each object was identified with a metallic number tag, corresponding to a
mention in the catalog, and with detailed explanation for all categories, and
with a map .
After he died, his two daughters Mathilde & Lucienne showed 54 pieces
from the collection in the famous exhibition "Tentonstelling van
Kongo-Kunst" organized par Frans Olbrechts in Antwerp in 1937.
Bernard de Grunne.
This catalogue bounded in a sumptuous manner was published in 230 sample
private in 1933 and include a map with tribes of Congo, it mentionned the two
statues, that you see below that have a numbered tag attached on the feet of the
statues .
David Norden
Lot nr 72 is a fine Luba statue (still available) , with a waxed patina :Luba
Opstal information request of availability (sold)
Lot 62 is a very seldom Mangbetu Zande
statue (sold) that was presented on a separate
stand on the wall you can see it on this picture taken in the early 1930's a
little bit under the middle of the image on the right side :
««
Mangbetu-Zande
It has a dark waxed patina, a fine elaborated coiffe and interesting eyebrows
going from ear to ear. This type of statues from the Zande Mangbetu border are
quite rare, and I do not remember having seen any in a museum or in a private
collection.
Let me know if you are interested in receiving more images and if you might
be interested in adding similar historical pieces to your collection.
David Norden
+32
3 227.35.40
