Portret van Moké

Uw gids voor de 5 beroemdste schilderijen van Moké

Bijgewerkt in november 2026 · gerangschikt op basis van onze populariteitsscore (zoekopdrachten, bezoeken en bestellingen per kunstwerk) · 5 werken van Moké in onze catalogus

Kortom

Het bekendste werk van Moké is Warm night in the city (1999). De volgende op de lijst zijn Untitled (Night Seen, Kin Bar) (1995) en Madame Bomengo (1998). We hebben 5 werken van Moké in onze catalogus; deze gids selecteert de 5 bekendste, inclusief het jaar, het museum en het verhaal achter elk stuk.

1950 – 2001, Bandundu

De 10 belangrijkste schilderijen van Moké die u moet kennen

1
Warm night in the city (1999) door Moké

Warm night in the city

1999

Seen rightly as a “painter reporter” of city life, Moke (born 1950, Ibe, Bandundu Province, Belgian Congo, died in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2001) was among the leading artists of the school of popular painting that sprung up in Kinshasa in the first decade of Zaïre’s independence. He arrived in Kinshasa at the age of ten, living hand to mouth and day by day. Discovering that there was…

2
Untitled (Night Seen, Kin Bar) (1995) door Moké

Untitled (Night Seen, Kin Bar)

1995

Seen rightly as a “painter reporter” of city life, Moke (born 1950, Ibe, Bandundu Province, Belgian Congo, died in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2001) was among the leading artists of the school of popular painting that sprung up in Kinshasa in the first decade of Zaïre’s independence. He arrived in Kinshasa at the age of ten, living hand to mouth and day by day. Discovering that there was…

3
Madame Bomengo (1998) door Moké

Madame Bomengo

1998

Seen rightly as a “painter reporter” of city life, Moke (born 1950, Ibe, Bandundu Province, Belgian Congo, died in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2001) was among the leading artists of the school of popular painting that sprung up in Kinshasa in the first decade of Zaïre’s independence. He arrived in Kinshasa at the age of ten, living hand to mouth and day by day. Discovering that there was…

4
Joy in Kinshasa (2000) door Moké

Joy in Kinshasa

2000

Seen rightly as a “painter reporter” of city life, Moke (born 1950, Ibe, Bandundu Province, Belgian Congo, died in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2001) was among the leading artists of the school of popular painting that sprung up in Kinshasa in the first decade of Zaïre’s independence. He arrived in Kinshasa at the age of ten, living hand to mouth and day by day. Discovering that there was…

5
June 30th, 1961 (République of Congo), Independance (2000) door Moké

June 30th, 1961 (République of Congo), Independance

2000

Seen rightly as a “painter reporter” of city life, Moke (born 1950, Ibe, Bandundu Province, Belgian Congo, died in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2001) was among the leading artists of the school of popular painting that sprung up in Kinshasa in the first decade of Zaïre’s independence. He arrived in Kinshasa at the age of ten, living hand to mouth and day by day. Discovering that there was…

Jaar voor jaar: de bekendste werken van Moké

De gedateerde werken van Moké lopen hier van 1995 tot 2000, slechts 6 jaar. Hier zijn ze, jaar voor jaar.

Werken per jaar

Selecteer een jaar om de werken te bekijken.

Moké: veelgestelde vragen over de schilderijen

Wat is het bekendste schilderij van Moké?Bekijk het antwoord

De lijst wordt aangevoerd door Warm night in the city (1999). Direct daarna volgen Untitled (Night Seen, Kin Bar) (1995) en Madame Bomengo (1998).

Hoe oud was Moké bij het creëren van Warm night in the city?Bekijk het antwoord

49 jaar oud. Moké werd geboren in 1950, en Warm night in the city dateert uit 1999.

Hoeveel werken van Moké staan er in uw catalogus?Bekijk het antwoord

We hebben 5 werken van Moké in onze catalogus, gedateerd van 1995 tot 2000.

Wanneer maakte Moké de beroemdste werken?Bekijk het antwoord

In 2000, meer dan op welk ander moment dan ook: 2 van de 5 werken op deze pagina dateren uit die tijd, waarvan Joy in Kinshasa een specifiek werk.

Wat zijn de eerste en laatste beroemde werken van Moké?Bekijk het antwoord

Het oudste werk hier is Untitled (Night Seen, Kin Bar) (1995); het meest recente is Joy in Kinshasa (2000).

Het verhaal van Moké

The Painter Reporter of Kinshasa

Known widely by his moniker Moke, Mosengo Kejwamfi was far more than a mere creator of images; he was a "painter reporter" who captured the very heartbeat of Kinshasia. Born in Ibebjué, Democratic Republic of the Congo, his journey to the bustling metropolis began at the age of ten. Arriving in the city with little more than the will to survive, he lived hand to mouth, navigating the daily struggles of urban life. It was through this intimate, raw connection to the streets that Moke discovered his calling. In a remarkable display of self-taught brilliance, he learned to render vibrant landscapes and bustling scenes upon discarded pieces of cardboard, turning the refuse of the city into a canvas for its soul.

His artistic ascent was marked by a pivotal moment in 1965, when he painted a depiction of General Mobutu waving to crowds during an Independence Day parade. This composition, which he would return to many times throughout his career, served as the launchpad for his professional life. Settling his studio at the crossroads of Kasa Vubu and Bolobo avenues—a district teeming with billboard and advertising artists—he immersed himself in the rhythmic pulse of the city. His work became a window into the social fabric of Zaïre, documenting the energy of a nation finding its footing in the first decade of independence.

A Vibrant Celebration of Urban Life

Moke’s aesthetic was deeply rooted in the conventions of commercial art, yet he elevated these techniques to create something uniquely profound. He possessed a singular ability to use bold outlines for his robust figures, eschewing traditional concerns for perspective or exact likeness in favor of a more expressive, painterly truth. His palette was rich and inviting, used to animate compositions that felt as alive as the streets they depicted. Unlike some of his contemporaries who focused on social friction, Moke’s work was characterized by a sympathetic and often humorous lens.

His canvases served as a joyous chronicle of Kinshasa's diverse social strata and cultural phenomena, including:

  • The Sapeurs: The local dandies known for their flamboyant fashion and impeccable style.
  • The Miziki: Powerful associations of financially independent women who anchored the community.
  • Nightlife and Leisure: The electric atmosphere of outdoor bars, all-night parties, and vibrant street scenes.
  • Public Rituals: The shared experience of political rallies, neighborhood disputes, and grand public ceremonies.

Through his eyes, the viewer does not merely see a city; they feel its warmth, its noise, and its unyielding spirit. Moke’s legacy remains etched in the colorful, lively depictions of a Kinshasa that continues to pulse with the very life he so lovingly recorded.