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Catalog Data

Maker:
Kongo artist  Search this
Medium:
Wood
Dimensions:
H x W x D: 29 x 43.5 x 11 cm (11 7/16 x 17 1/8 x 4 5/16 in.)
Type:
Figure
Geography:
Boma, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Date:
Late 19th-early 20th century
Label Text:
Throughout the Congo, many groups respectfully carried their leaders in palanquins or hammocks. Europeans adopted similar modes of transportation when they arrived in the area, but according to a 1908 letter in the Smithsonian's National Anthropological Archives, riding in a reclining hammock was "unbearably fatiguing and jarring." This artwork depicts two Africans transporting a bearded European man in a vehicle known as a Kongo chair. Invented by a Swedish missionary, this unusual vehicle was used by missionaries, doctors and related officials at the Red Cross station in Boma, Congo.
Description:
One piece wood carving of a bearded European man on a single wheeled chair being pushed and pulled by two African attendants. Light colored wood with dark stain.
Provenance:
Marcia Hersey, New York, 2010
Bryna Freyer, Washington, D.C., 2010
Patricia Kluge, Charlottesville, Virginia
Irwin and Marcia Hersey, New York
Exhibition History:
African Mosaic: Selections from the Permanent Collection, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 19, 2013–August 12, 2019 (deinstalled February 19, 2014)
African Mosaic: Celebrating a Decade of Collecting, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 19, 2010-November 13, 2013
The Stranger Among Us, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., March 24-September 7, 1982
Published References:
Cole, Herbert M. 1989. Icons: Ideals and Power in the Art of Africa. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
Sotheby's. 1987. Tribal Art: Property of Various Owners. Auction catalogue (May 20, sale 5587). New York, no. 293.
Walker, Roslyn. 1982. The Stranger Among Us. Exhibition brochure. Washington, D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Content Statement:
As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
Image Requests:
High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
Topic:
Status  Search this
foreigner  Search this
male  Search this
Credit Line:
Gift of Marcia Hersey in memory of Irwin Hersey
Object number:
2010-12-1
Restrictions & Rights:
Usage conditions apply
See more items in:
National Museum of African Art Collection
Data Source:
National Museum of African Art
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7c21759d0-e71f-41a2-b6cc-e800f243234f
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmafa_2010-12-1