31. PENDE MASK, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO fumu mbuya or phumbu mbuya wood, pigments, fibre 38 cm. high Provenance Collected in situ before 1891 by Camille-Aimé Coquilhat (Liège 1853 – Boma 1891), Belgian Vice Governor-General in Congo Given to André Dochy by the widow of Camille-Aimé Coquilhat in the 1950s by descent through the family Born in Liège, Camille-Aimé Coquilhat was a key figure in the early phase of the colonization of the Congo by the Congo Free State, founded under the patronage of King Leopold II. A career officer, he joined the International African Association in 1882 to take part in Stanley's expedition into the Upper Congo. From the outset, he distinguished himself through his efficiency, commitment, and initiative, playing a crucial role in the establishment of key colonial outposts such as Bolobo, Équateurville, and most notably Iboko, which he developed into a model station. At Iboko, he worked tirelessly to establish peaceful relations with the Bangala people, learning their language and studying their traditions. Coquilhat advocated a progressive and humanist vision of colonial engagement, promoting moral leadership, the importance of remunerated labor, and respect for local populations. His approach, rooted in persuasion rather than coercion, profoundly shaped his actions in the field. After returning to Belgium in 1885, he was appointed Administrator General of the Department of the Interior of the Congo Free State, becoming a close advisor to King Leopold II and participating in preparations for the 1889 Anti-Slavery Conference. In 1890, he returned to the Congo as Vice Governor-General. Severely weakened by illness, he died in Boma in March 1891. Author of Sur le Haut-Congo (1888), a vivid account of his experience and reflections on the civilizing mission in Africa, Coquilhat is remembered as a pioneering, thoughtful, and committed figure, aware of the challenges and contradictions of the colonial enterprise, yet convinced of the transformative power of education, justice, and mutual respect. In his honour, the post at Iboko was renamed Coquilhatville (today Mbandaka). The present lot, along with various Congo weapons (some of which are illustrated in Sur le Haut-Congo) was given in the 1950s by Coquilhat's widow to André Dochy and has remained in the family ever since. According to De Sousberghe (L'Art Pende, 1958), mbuya masks would appear and perform in the village during festivities celebrating the return of circumcised boys. Over time, particularly among the Katundu, these masks took on a more theatrical role, serving as public entertainment and portraying recognizable village characters. The present example portrays a man with serene expression identified as either phumbu, the executioner responsible for carrying out capital punishment, or fumu, the chief. Both figures wear masks crowned with large fibre horns, but phumbu is distinguished by the addition of a dark red feather from the Musophaga rossae, inserted into the headdress. Among the Pende, only a man who has killed, whether an enemy or a powerful animal such as a leopard, buffalo, elephant, or crocodile, is permitted to wear this feather.