A Kisanji

A Kisanji
a wood and iron lamellophone
double lamella frieze, engraved decoration "Geometric motifs", partly representing the «Capuita» symbol, lower lamellae with wax compound for tuning
Angolan - Tshokwe
20th C. (1st half)
minor defects, patine wear
back with signature of Soba MUFUPO, purchased in Lumeje on 5-30-1970, from soba Mufupo (Luena)
Dimensões (altura x comprimento x largura) - 26,6 x 14,8 x 0,9 cm
Notes: Provenance: Collection of Engineer Elísio Romariz dos Santos Silva

Fig. 1 in the notes printed "A Escultura Tribal dos Povos Banto" updated version, from 1995, of the work with the title "A Escultura Negro-Africana Vista à Luz da Filosofia Banta", which the author presented in 1971, for the XXII Floral Games of Huambo Town Hall (former Nova Lisboa) - Angola, p. 10. Original work available at http://memoriaafrica.ua.pt/Library/ShowImage.aspx?q=/bchuambo/bchuambo-026&p=10, consulted on March 16, 2023 at 11:16 am.
Item number 137, mentioned in the notebook of the collector «Angola - Arte Negra, Relação e descrição das peças» , identified there as «Quissanje  Lungando»: "Decoration: 4 rectangles juxtaposed with equal decorations along the diagonals. The upper left and lower right with the motif «Capuita» (see nº5); the other two with skewed chess squares forming small lozenges with an excavated centre. On the back face, another «Capuita» symbol with ornamentation different from those on the face, within a rectangle [...]. Below this rectangle is roughly engraved(?) the signature of its owner "Mufupo". According to Redinha, the designation of this type of kisanji derives from its low sound. [...] Purchased in Lumeje on 30.5.70, from Soba Mufupo (Luena) [...]." Cf. bibliography referred to by the collector - REDINHA, José - "Campanha Etnográfica ao Tchiboco (Alto-Tchicapa) - Anotações e Documentação gráfica", volume 2. In "Diamag - Publicações Culturais nº 19". Lisboa: Companhia de Diamantes de Angola - Serviços Culturais Dundo - Lunda - Angola - Museu do Dundo, 1955, p. 20. "Finely crafted musical instruments, combs, pipes, axes and stools may include elaborate figurative and/or abstract motifs and belong to whoever can afford to obtain them." - cf. JORDÁN, Manuel - "Os Tshokwe e Povos Aparentados". In "Na presença dos Espíritos - Arte Africana do Museu Nacional de Etnologia, Lisboa". Lisboa: Museu Nacional de Etnologia, 2000, p. 114. Other kisanjis are represented in DIAS, Jorge (direc.) - "Escultura Africana no Museu de Etnologia do Ultramar". Lisboa: Junta de Investigações do Ultramar, 1968, s/p, nº 158; in SANTOS, Soraia Ferreira (coord.) - "A Herança dos Povos do Sul de Angola". Lubango: Museu Regional da Huíla, 2018, p. 57, nºs inv. 2003.R.247 and 2002.R.252; in FELIX, Marc Leo. - "100 Peoples of Zaire and Their Sculpture: The Handbook”. Brussels: Zaire Basin Art History Research Foundation, 1987, p. 97, nº 15; and in BASTIN, Marie-Louise. "La sculpture Tshokwe”. Arcueil: Alain et Françoise Chaffin, 1982, p. 244, nº 167.