Hemba
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Central Africa
Ritual Head
INV-1528
Hemba
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Central AfricaMid–/late 19th century
hembaArts of Africaafrican ArtCentral Africasculpturewood
Date
Mid–/late 19th century
Medium
Wood, animal fur (contemporary facsimile based on period examples), and twine
Dimensions
33.1 × 17.8 × 13.4 cm (13 × 7 × 5 1/4 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Gift of Anne Reisse Whipple and Jay Whipple in memory of Wilbur Tuggle
This male ritual head bears the crossed coiffure and regal, elongated face with arched brows and almond-shaped eyes that are characteristic of Hemba sculpture. The fur attached to the base of this sculpture is not original. This sculpture was possibly once kept in a basket or gourd and would have been used by the head of the clan to foster communication between the living and the ancestral realm.
Also notable
Works in the same vein
