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Male Figure,

Divination Tool,

Mask,

Mask,

Masquerading enjoyed an extraordinary resurgence in the Central Pende region in the early twentieth century, in part because so many other routes to male prestige had been blocked. In the 1930s, during the Pende rebellion, masquerade performance constituted a form of resistance to Belgian colonial rule. Pende masquerade performance remains vital to this day. Masks […]

Amulet,

Ceremonial Panel,

Ntadi,

This commemorative stone sculpture portrays a royal person in deep thought. Made 100 years ago or more, it comes from the region of the great Kingdom of the Kongo. The sculpture’s asymmetrical posture—with crossed legs and its palm to its cheek—is iconic. In Kongo culture, this gesture is associated with reflection and discretion, qualities associated […]

Noblewoman’s Ceremonial Overskirt,

The extremely fine stitching of this cloth’s embroidery, its complex patterns, and the irregular feature at one end—like a sketch done in thread—make it a masterpiece of central African textile art. Made for a woman of royal rank or high social status, it comes from the Mbeengi region of the northeast Kuba Kingdom. This textile’s […]

Madonna,

This ivory sculpture comes from the region of central Africa, where the Kingdom of the Kongo was founded ca. 1400. In 1483 Portuguese explorers arrived, bringing their religion with them. In 1491 the Kongo king Nzinga aNkuwa converted to Christianity and was baptized as João I; his son and heir Afonso Mvemba a Nzinga later […]

Cross,

At the end of the fifteenth century, Christianity was introduced to the Kingdom of the Kongo, along the coast of central Africa. This influenced religious and artistic practices. Kongo artists created crosses and other objects of worship, combining their Kongolese and Christian iconography. Here, Christ’s face is given African features. Crosses were not only used […]