Belgium Portrait of a Belgian Congo officer wearing a Royal Order of the Lion

[Stuka f]

My collection Belgian Congo grows very slowly, those objects are very hard to come by.

Here is my latest (just in!!)

Portrait was made by ,Emiel Jacques, (°Moorslede, 17 juli 1874/+Michigan, 1937)a Belgian artist who moved to the US and died as a American citizen.

I still need to find out who the officer was...

[GM1]

Very nice painting! Hopefully you can find out the name of the officer.

GM1

[GM1]

A picture of the Vice-Governor General Costermans, appointed by King Leopold II on November 20th 1903.

Decorations he is wearing:

1. Officer in the Royal Order of the Lion

2. Knight in the Order of Leopold (military version)

3. Knight in the Ordre National de la Légion d'honneur

4. Knight in the Order of the African Star

5. Servicestar with 4 bars.

Cheers!

GM1

[Hendrik]

3. Knight in the Ordre National de la Légion d'honneur

Hello GM1,

I think a French Légion d'Honneur wouldn't be worn as the third decoration in that set but rather at the end of it. So, I suggest it's the Knight class of the Belgian Order of the Crown.

Regards,

Hendrik

[GM1]

Thank you very much Hendrik! You're right!

Best regards,

GM1

[paul wood]

Stuka and GM1, thank you so much for showing these wonderful images. I hope eventually the painting can be identified. Have you tried the Belgian national Gallery ( or whatever is the national paintings repository) and see if the can be of help in identifying the sitter.

Paul

[Stuka f]

Hey Paul, thanks for your apreciation (and GM1 too of course!!).

I just removed the pastel from the frame in the hope to find any notes at the back, but there are non(related to the painter, nor the sitter!)!

The search continues! Might have to try your idea Paul!

But having the pic out of the frame, it gave me the chance to up load better photos, without having the reflexion of the glass;

[azyeoman]

Very nice pastel! Thanks for sharing.

[TacHel]

Very interesting period painting and photograph!

[Odulf]

I also have some photos which are related to Belgian Congo, but I don't have a clue about ranks or dates.

Perhaps you can enlighten me and give some more details about the uniforms, insignia and decorations/medalsto in the photos below?

Your help is much appreciated!

[Stuka f]

They are all pre WWI.

4 & 5 are jager officers who served in Congo.

1 seems to be a chaplain....?

2 seem to be a 11 th infanterie regiment's officer, who also served in Congo.

3 & 6 are pre 1910 Congo officials

[Stuka f]

Just made a wunderfull aquisition thanks to a member of a other forum, who pointed it out.

Here is a 1886 mod. helmet (named "sugarloaf" by the French!)of the  Congo Free State that lasted from 1885 to 1908.

It was very high on my list of "holy grales".Never tought I would manage to get one.

I only know two of them in private collections, never know one on the market.

I am using the salers pics because they are good and I haven't get it yet........

 

[Stuka f]

And some more Belgian pith helmets!

The right one was ment for Belgian fusseliers...something I just  learned never knew we had them......

[pegasus1831]

other pictures from congo

[Stuka f]

hey pegasus1831 ,

thanks for sharing them, could you make a better detail of the pith helmet insignia of the civil servant (facing the camera) on the last pic, please?

[pegasus1831]

will do it person is Mr. Eugène Jungers, gouverneur Général du Congo Belge pictures taken in Léopoldville 3/01/1949

[Stuka f]

Thank, but I was talking about the guy, at the left of Mr. Eugène Jungers.

 

[pegasus1831]

ok 

[pegasus1831]

[Kvart]

A painting of Kristian Rikardsen Loken (1884-1961), wearing a Norwegian captain's uniform, while he was commander of the Army Acadamy in 1932-33. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristian_Løken

[Stuka f]

Nice painting

Thanks for sharing