Extremely Rare Christian Double Sided Stone Altar. Bakongo Art

Very rare Christian stone altar dating at least from the 19th century and may be older measuring 27cm high by 15cm wide plus plexiglass base Reproduced in the reference book Art Bakongo Statuaire enpierre sculptée page 1221 by Raoul LEHUARD (world specialist in Art from Gabon and Congo) We know a lot of representations of Christianity in black Africa cast in bronze or in carved wood but very rare are those in stone. An exhibition was held at Quai Branly in Paris in 2016-2017 highlighting objects related to evangelization in Central Africa "" From the Jordan River to the Congo, Art and Christianity in Central Africa ". sacred objects in Bronze, Brass, Iron, Ivory, Bone, Wood and very rarely in stone These devotional objects appeared between the XVIth and the XIXth centuries The sculpture that I offer for sale represents Jesus on the Cross surrounded by 4 figures on both sides, either with arms in the air or holding their heads in their hands, or sitting on the cross with their hands placed on their stomachs The style of this work is entirely in the spirit of Mannerism at the end of the XVIth century century Style which was perpetuated until the xixth by African sculptors Raoul LEHUARD specified that it was not easy to determine with precision the age of a carved stone We know a good number of sculpted characters who accompanied in the dead fall to them but very few crucifixes and even less devotional altars Very beautiful collector's item which has some lacks around the perimeter and wear on the faces I give the book with the buyer of the sculpture Provenance collection from the South of France