Group on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, African painting, circa 1950

Group on the shores of lake tanganyika. African painting of the belgian congo, signed by dom around 1950. Knife painting. Oil on chipboard. Original frame. Dom is a prolific painter, passionate about knife painting. It depicts traditional african culture on a daily basis. His paintings tell the calm of vulnerable populations who aspire to live with dignity thanks to their work. Whether or not conformity to nature is a basic principle, the painters of the belgian congo were called upon by their sponsors to release a creative energy that was supposed to have been preserved, even in large cities, from any contact with other forms of art existing in the world. The knife is a kind of flexible steel trowel, it allows a painting that, by its reliefs, catches the light and gives life to the painting. Painting with a knife allows the painter to develop a personal and powerful style. Painting textures, but also gestural painting, knife painting also allows a very abstract approach to the subject, a simple suggestion of things while remaining figurative. Democratic republic of the congo. Circa 1950 - colonial period of the belgian congo.