H x W x D: 30.2 x 34 x 34 cm (11 7/8 x 13 3/8 x 13 3/8 in.)
Type:
Decorative Arts
Geography:
Ubangi-Uele River region, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Date:
Mid-20th century
Label Text:
In 1970 Eliot Elisofon photographed this stool outside in the chief's compound in Isiro where the chief's wife was getting a traditional basket weave hairstyle. He also documented a Mangbetu carver making a stool with an adze. The stools, or nobala, are finished with heated iron tools by the village blacksmiths.
Description:
Wood stool with round top and base on a spherical support. Incised linear design decorates the top edge and the center sphere. Plant fiber strap hangs through a triangular hole on the top.
Provenance:
Eliot Elisofon, New York, 1970 to 1973, collected in area of Isiro, Zaire in March 1970
Exhibition History:
Africa ReViewed: The Photographic Legacy of Eliot Elisofon, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 21, 2013-December 14, 2014
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 Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks.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/
