Fernand ALLARD L`OLIVIER (Tournai 1883

Fernand ALLARD L'OLIVIER (Tournai 1883 - Yanongé 1933)
"The Chief's Dance in Kanda-Kanda, Belgian Congo"
Belgian School
Signed on the lower left
Inscribed on the reverse "Le fou du chef, Kanda-Kanda, exécuté en tapisserie par G. Chaudoir en 1930 pour le
palais du gouverneur"
Circa 1928
Oil on original canvas
Original gilded frame
200 x 205 cm / 78.7 x 80.7 in (original gilded frame included)
Exhibition : Galerie des Artistes Français, Brussels, 1929, no. 1
Fernand Allard l'Olivier is one of the leading artists of Belgian Africanist paintings. After an apprenticeship in
Belgium with his father, the engraver Charles Allard, he completed his training in France at the Ecole des BeauxArts. He developed an official taste for monumental and decorative painting , which he exhibited regularly at the
"Salon des Artistes Français" in Paris.
His trip to Africa, especially to the Belgian Congo in 1928, modified his palette and his favorite themes. He directed
in large compositions dancing witches, Tutsi leaders, bouffons, with particular attention to the rendering of light and
movement. He brought back many works, some of which are presented in various exhibitions, such as the colonial
exhibitions in Antwerp in 1930 and Paris in 1931. In 1929, the Brussels renowned art dealer Isy Brachot organized
a retrospective of the artist at his "Galeries des Artistes Français". Our painting is exhibited there. The press
devotes many articles to this masterpiece and this composition is taken for a tapestry executed by the Manufacture
Chaudoir in Brussels in 1930 which is currently kept at the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren,
Belgium.“…L’Exposition à la Galerie des Artistes Français avait été annoncée sous le titre: « Allard L’Olivier au
Congo. Tableaux, croquis, études, pochades ». J’en ai conservé le catalogue. Je l’ouvre et il me semble que, rien
qu’à en relire les titres, je revois chacun des cinquante tableaux. Rappelez-vous quelques-uns des numéros
inscrits : « Le fou du Chef », type étrange si remarquablement saisi, geste comme accoutrement.”
This work features a classic theme of both Western and African countries. These 'crazy' or 'clowns' were intended to
entertain the tribal King. Allard l'Olivier based this important work on a real scene observed at Kanda-Kanda, in the
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region of Lomani. Indeed, during his stay, he made numerous sketches he later used again in his monumental
compositions imbued with a shimmer of bright colors. The warm and golden brown light that comes from the bottom
of the composition brings the characters to the foreground, reinforcing the monumental and decorative stage.“…le
style, l’interprétation décorative, la véritable vie; la réalité s’est doublée d’un peu de rêve; et tout cette mature, vue à
travers un tempérament de coloriste, est devenue de l’art.”
The oldest known state in the region of Central Africa is the Kongo kingdom, the draw of the population groups
"Congolese" colonial borders was later divided between the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Congo
and Angola . The Kingdom was formed in Western Kasai and Lulua Kouba. It finds its origin in the fifteenth century,
but the only really Kingdom takes form during the seventeenth century under the reign of Chamba Bolongongo. This
modernist King encouraged the production of new crops and spread the weaving of raffia. At the end of the
seventeenth century, the Luba kingdom eventually transformed into Kouba. Which remained to exist until it was
conquered by the Belgians in 1904.
The United Luba Kingdom in Katanga to Kongolo, which was established from the East came in place during the
sixteenth century. At the end of the seventeenth century, one of his successors, Ngombe, extended the territory with
Kumwinbu Lake Tanganyika. The history of the Kingdom was marked by violent riots and stability by fighting
amonst brothers. In the nineteenth century, it fell prey to its neighbours (Tetela, Chokwe, Bayeke). When the
Belgians arrived in 1892, the territory itself got limited to a small enclave at the source of Lomani.
The 16th of August 1928, Fernand Allard L’Olivier travelled through the Lomani region. It was here in the KandaKanda village where he painted this masterpiece. “…Je m’arrête à Panda 2 jours, 1 jour à Biano, Petit patelin
d’élevage, ensuite Bukama 2 jours, puis Kanda-Kanda : A cette station, je quitte le chemin de fer. Commenceront
sans doute mes déboires: attendre une auto, patienter des journées entières dans des pirogues indigènes,
m’arrêter pour peindre et peindre encore…”.
The chief of the tribe is recognized by all, either by descent or by its merits during wars. It is not uncommon to see
as well, especially among the older leaders, a capacity for reflection, an art of compromise or a special skill to get
out of difficult situations. His authority is not challenged. In African society, the leader has all the privileges. He has
wealth, allowing him to have several wives, and especially the flock of pastoralists and farmers. He has the moral
and ritual based on the relationship that he supposed to have with the spirits or the ancestors of the tribe. He has
the right to reject the practice of certain rites, which is a powerful leverage to ensure compliance with customary law,
and his own.
Each tribal chief is accompanied by a bouffon. A madman, not a sorcerer, or a priest worship is chaired by the
head itself, and healers or witch doctors do not differ specifically from other clan members. They are indeed crazy.
Many of them have malformations. They are obviously insane, or at least very mentally impaired.
The madman has amazing powers. We should not believe that he used to amuse the chief or the tribe. They would
rather fear. These are usually frightening characters, which are not subject to any rules. They can get away with
anything, and nobody, not even a great leader would dare to stand up to them.
They walk around armed with huge sticks, which are always possible fear of rage. Often they are the cause of tribal
wars, and we listen willingly in strategy. The fools are the only ones moving up hill and down dale as they see fit.
How do they escape the wild beasts? No one knows.
It is not uncommon to see a madman in a camp of a neighbouring tribe. He is treated by all with the same enormous
respect. Sometimes these madmen meet each other. In general they do not say anything. They seem to lend each
other any attention. Then we see them leave the camp in a short time interval, moving vaguely in the same direction,
each according to his way up his pace.
The fool is the true master of the tribe. The Chief is rather the role of an intermediary, a mediator between this and
that. It was observed that no tribe was perpetuated long if its madman was about to disappear without being able to
find a replacement. Having no madman, a tribe eventually disperse, or being absorbed by another.
Provenance:
Private Collection, Belgium
Philippe Denys Gallery, Belgium, 1995
G. Chaudoir Collection, Belgium, 1929
Isy Brachot Gallery, Belgium, 1929
BOON GALLERY
KUSTLAAN 197, B-8300 KNOKKE, BELGIUM
TEL: +32 (0)475 45 49 63 / TEL: +32 (0)476 31 53 76
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Member of the Belgian Chamber of Art Experts
Member of the Royal Belgian Chamber of Art & Antique Dealers
Exhibitions :
Antwerp
Brussels
Jemappes
La Louvière
Mons
Quaregnon
Tournai
Literature:
BÉNÉZIT, E., "Dictionnaire critique des peintres, sculpteurs, dessinateurs et graveurs", Gründ, Paris, 1999.
BEZOMBES, R., “L’Exotisme dans l’Art et la Pensée”, Bruxelles, 1953.
BRACHOT,I., “Allard l'Olivier au Congo”, Brussels, Galerie des Artistes Français, avril 1929, no. 1, illustré.
CHALUX, “ Au cœur de l’Afrique sauvage” dans “L’Illustration”, Paris, Octobre 1929.
CORNELIS, S., “L’Activité artistique des Belges au Zaïre et au Rwanda de 1880 à nos jours : peintures, sculpture,
art de la médaille”, thèse doctorale, Université catholique de Louvain-la-Neuve.
CORNELIS, S., “Regards d'artistes : la palette et la plume au Congo. 1880 à 1914, doctoral dissertation, Louvain,
1994-1995.
DE BOUDEIGNES, O., "Stèle à la splendeur meurtrie du peintre Allard L'Olivier", Brussels, 1933.
DERYCKE, J.-P., “Le Congo et l'Art Belge 1860-1960”.
DE SEYN, E., "Dictionnaire biographique des Sciences, des Lettres et des Arts en Belgique", Brussels, 1935.
GUISSET, J., “Le Congo et l’Art belge 1880-1960 : Art Déco, modernisme et expositions internationales”, Tournai,
2003, p. 184-185.
JADOT, J.-M., “L’Art Belge : F. Allard L’olivier”, Brussels, March 1929, p. 27-32.
LAMBRECHTS, M., “L’Orientalisme et l’Africanisme dans l’Art Belge, 19e & 20e siècles”, Galerie CGER, 1984,
no. 59, illustrated.
LEJEUNE, L., “La Revue Sincère : Allard L’Olivier”, Brussels, 15 Novembre 1933, p. 222-272 .
MERTENS-SNYERS, J., "Une famille d'industriels, les Chaudoir", dans, “L'intermédiaire des généalogiste”,
Brussels, 1987, no. 249.
PAS, W. & G., "ARTO: Biografische Lexicon Plastische Kunst in België", De Gulden Roos, Antwerp, 2000.
PÉRIER, G.-D., “L’art colonial ou le Congo interprété par les artistes” dans “La Nervie”, Bruxelles, 1927.
PIRON, P., "De Belgische Beeldende Kunstenaars uit de 19e en 20e eeuw", Art in Belgium, Brussels, 1999.
RENARD, M., "Allard-L'Olivier", Brussels, 1922.
SCHURR, G., CABANNE, P., "Dictionnaire des Petits Maîtres de la peinture 1820-1920", Les éditions de
l'amateur, Paris, 1996.
SOSSET, L.-L., “Tapisserie contemporaine en Belgique”, Editions du Perron, Liège, 1989.
THORNTON, L., “Les Peintres et l’Afrique Noire”, Paris, 1982.
THORNTON, L., “Les Africanistes, peintres voyageurs 1860-1960”, ACR Edition, Paris, 1990.
Artist Biography :
Fernand Allard l'Olivier was the son of the engraver and watercolorist Charles Allard. He began his career in Paris
in 1901, due to having contact with some renowned representatives of the academic arts, such as William
Bouguereau. He also attended the workshop of Jean-Paul Laurens and that of Jules Adler, the painter of the
humble. He quickly developped arrangements for a decorative painting and monumental official purpose. “Ils diront,
ceux-là qui l’ont connu dans son ardente jeunesse, qu’il eut, à Paris, pour maîtres, Jean-Paul Laurens, à qui il doit
sons sens de la vie pathétique, le besoin de mettre des idées, des pensées sur la face des hommes, dans le
regard des choses ; Grasset qui lui insuffla sa science accomplie de la décoration ; Adler qui, sans doute, lui a
donné cette pointe de réalisme et de névrose qu’on a comparée au levain merveilleux dans la pâte.”
Fernand Allard l'Olivier enlisted as a volunteer during the 1914-1918 war. He was incorporated as a painter of the
Art Section of the Belgian army in on the battlefield. Afterwards he travelled further to produce reports shown to the
BOON GALLERY
KUSTLAAN 197, B-8300 KNOKKE, BELGIUM
TEL: +32 (0)475 45 49 63 / TEL: +32 (0)476 31 53 76
WWW.BOONGALLERY.COM – [email protected]
Member of the Belgian Chamber of Art Experts
Member of the Royal Belgian Chamber of Art & Antique Dealers
Belgian press in Poland, Italy, Sicily and Tripoli.
In 1928 he made his first trip to the Belgian Congo. He was responsible on behalf of the Office of Colonial
Propaganda of the Congo, to collect documents (paintings, watercolors, etc.). Fascinated by the spectacle of
African dancers, Fernand Allard l'Olivier ordered frequently shows during his stay in the Congo, during which he was
making sketches and oil studies. The artist subsequently transposed many of these sketches on canvas, always
endeavoring to restore the atmosphere and intensity of these shows. He realized in the Lake Kivu, a series of 17
large panels designed to prepare the execution of large decorative panels for the main hall of the Pavilion of the
Belgian Congo at the International Exhibition in Antwerp in 1930.
From 1932 to 1933, he was entrusted a second study mission in the Congo, in order to build a work of propaganda.
It was during this second trip, he accidentally died from a fall that plunged into the river Congo, Yanonge near
Stanleyville (now Kisangani).
His monumental canvases are kept at the Institute of Tropical Medicine Prince Leopold in Antwerp, the Museum of
Fine Arts in Tournai and La Louviere, and the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren.
BOON GALLERY
KUSTLAAN 197, B-8300 KNOKKE, BELGIUM
TEL: +32 (0)475 45 49 63 / TEL: +32 (0)476 31 53 76
WWW.BOONGALLERY.COM – [email protected]
Member of the Belgian Chamber of Art Experts
Member of the Royal Belgian Chamber of Art & Antique Dealers