H x W x D: 3.5 x 2.1 x 25.6 cm (1 3/8 x 13/16 x 10 1/16 in.)
Type:
Sculpture
Geography:
Mayombe region, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Date:
Mid-late 19th century
Label Text:
Historic illustrations and postcards document the practice of carrying Kongo chiefs and others of high status--including Europeans--in cloth hammocks or wood palanquins. These palanquin pins exhibit a lustrous patina that comes with age and handling. Each is ornamented with a motif found on Kongo emblems of authority. The carved head, probably that of a canine or a feline, with bared teeth is clutching a snake in its open jaws. Indeed, these are decorative, utilitarian objects and emblems of prestige, likely the property of a Kongo chief.
Description:
One of a pair of ivory handles or palanquin pins, tapered at the end. The top is ornamented with a carved animal head, probably a feline, with teeth bared and grasping what appears to be a snake that curls around its neck and into its open maw. Raised designs encircle the lower portion of each tapered end. The end of one of the pins has chipped at an angle, worn smooth with age.
Provenance:
Alain Schoffel, France, 1970s to 2005
Private collector, Belgium, 2005
Lucien Van de Velde, Antwerp, 2005 to 2006
Exhibition History:
Visionary: Viewpoints on Africa's Arts, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 4, 2017-ongoing
Treasures 2008, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., April 9-August 24, 2008
Published References:
Felix, Marc Leo (ed). 2010. White Gold, Black Hands: Ivory Sculpture in Congo, Vol 1. Qiquhar, Heilungkiang, The People's Republic of China: Gemini Sun, pp. 244-245, no. 366a-b.
Patton, Sharon F. and Bryna Freyer. 2008. Treasures 2008. Washington D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, pp. 48-49.
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 Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks.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/
