Robbins, Warren M. and Nancy Ingram Nooter. 1989. African Art in American Collections. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, p. 228, no. 585.
Robbins, Warren M. and Nancy Ingram Nooter. 1989. African Art in American Collections. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, p. 228, no. 586.
Cast bracelets with relief images were among the emblems of the Lemba cult. From the mid-17th century to the first decades of the 20th century, Lemba functioned in a number of Kongo groups in central Africa. Traces of the cult have also been documented in Haiti and Brazil. Although changing over time and place, this complex cult initially focused on healing. Its members were the elite of Kongo soc
Long saffron yellow colored gown of richly brocaded cloth with wide bell-shaped sleeves and no collar. It is decorated with a double row of buttons worked in thread down to the waist. On each side of the row of buttons is an oval shaped design the ends of which extend up and around the collar. The gown itself is embellished with a floral pattern and the edges finished in silk braid. The inside is
In North Africa silver coins were often melted down and made into jewelry, a practice still in use today. In Ethiopia,18th century thaler coins from Austria were preferred. The thaler was popular because it was difficult to "clip" since it had writing on the side of the coin. The combination of a ruler and a crowned double eagle also appealed to local symbolism. While sometimes the coin was used d
Robbins, Warren M. and Nancy Ingram Nooter. 1989. African Art in American Collections. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, p. 193, no. 412.
When a royal personage died, a potter would be commissioned by the family to make a commemorative portrait along with sculptures representing family members, associates and servants. The potter would also be asked to make cooking pots and jars. This group of ceramic objects, produced for a special purpose and used only once, probably was assembled within the village where the funeral services were
National Museum of African Art. 1999. Selected Works from the Collection of the National Museum of African Art. Washington, D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, p. 50, no. 29.
When a royal personage died, a potter would be commissioned by the family to make a commemorative portrait along with sculptures representing family members, associates and servants. The potter would also be asked to make cooking pots and jars. This group of ceramic objects, produced for a special purpose and used only once, probably was assembled within the village where the funeral services were