ADAM
Analog – Digital – Ancient – Masters

The Casanovas selected 179 artworks of exceptional artistic quality, the creations of anonymous artists from the past, men of great talent who, in close connection to their spiritual beliefs, were capable of achieving mastery in their sculptural execution. And, as Picasso once said, “They have not yet been surpassed”.
A commemoration of a 30 year journey in the world of Primitive Art.

Tellem-Dogon, Mali

C 14: XIII–XIV C
Wood
H. 60 cm

Provenance:
Guus W. Sannes, The Hague, before 1968

Exhibited and published:
G.W. Sannes, African Primitives, Function and Form in African Masks and Figures, Faber and Faber Ltd, London, 1970
Musée Dapper, Dogon, Dapper, Paris, 1994
Wick and A. Denner, Visual Encounters, Africa, Oceania and Modern Art, Beyeler Foundation, Basel, 2009

Bangwa, Fontem, Cameroon

XIX C. or earlier
Wood
81,5 cm

Provenance:
Collected by A. Pollock in Fontem, 1960
Charles Ratton, París

Exhibited and published in:
Guimiot, Sculptures Africaines, Nouveau Regard sur un Héritage, 1975
Arts Premiers d’Afrique Noire, Brussels, 1977
Rubin, Primitivism in 20th Century Art, vol. II, Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1987
Utotombo, L’Art d’Afrique Noire dans les Collections Privées Belges, Brussels, 1988
Bassani, La Grande Scultura dell’Africa Nera, Florence, 1989

Uli, New Ireland

XVIII C.
Wood, opercula shells, kaolin, parinarium nut paste, pigments
H. 168cm

Provenance:
Collected by Franz Boluminski, 1900
Linden Museum, Stuttgart, 1908
Arthur Speyer, Berlin
Ralph Nash, London
Anne and Jacques Kerchache, Paris

Exhibited and published:
O. Wick and A. Denner, Visual Encounters, Africa, Oceania and Modern Art, Beyeler Foundation, Basel, 2009
Published:
A. Krämer, Die Malánggane Von Tombára, G. Müller, Munich, 1925
P.C. Gifford, The Iconology of the Uli Figure of Central New Ireland, Columbia University, 1974

Leti or Babar, Southern Moluccas, Indonesia

C 14: XV–XVII century
Wood
H. 41 cm

Provenance:
Private collection, Amsterdam

Published:
CHEN CHI-LU, Material Culture of the Formosan Aborigines, The Taiwan Museum, Taipei, 1968

Tiki sculpture, Marquesas Islands

C 14: XVII-XVIII century
Wood
H. 69 cm

Provenance:
Collected by Governor Edouard Petit in 1884 in an expedition on board “Le Mistral” by descent to Marcelle Falcoz, his daughter pivate collection, Paris

Exhibited and published:
V. Bounouré, Vision d’Océanie, Musée Dapper, Paris, 1992, p. 51
Wick and A. Denner, Visual Encounters. Africa, Oceania and Modern Art, Beyeler Foundation, Basel, 2009, fasc. IX, fig. 9

Published:
M. Falcoz, “L’Art Marquisien”, in L’Art et les Artistes, Paris, 1938, t. 35, pp. 263-269
V. Bounouré, “Retentissement de la Parole Sauvage,” in Les Antiquaires au Grand Palais, Paris, 1984

Mask, Old Bering Sea Culture, Alaska

C 14: IV-V century
Wood, possibly spruce
H. 31 cm

Provenance:
George Terasaki, New York, 1960
Jane and Gerald Katcher, Miami

Exhibited and published:
Espíritus del Agua. Arte de Alaska y la Columbia Británica, Fundación la Caixa, Barcelona-Madrid, 2000, p. 85, fig. 19
Spirits of the Water, The Menil Foundation, Houston, Texas, 2000, no. 87, p. 127

Published:
S.C. Brown and G. Terasaki, Transfigurations. North Pacific Coast Art. George Terasaki Collector, Marquand Books, Seattle, 2006, fig. 5