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Source Description
Although five-stringed melodic harps with anthropomorphic decorations are found among different peoples in northern Congo, the elongated skull of this work is characteristic of the Mangbetu. Such instruments commonly served to accompany songs by either male or female musicians. Cleveland artist Paul Travis acquired this work and some others during his travels in Central Africa in 1928.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
110819
label
Figurative harp (domu or kundi)
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
110819
contentType
object
title
Figurative harp (domu or kundi)
description
Although five-stringed melodic harps with anthropomorphic decorations are found among different peoples in northern Congo, the elongated skull of this work is characteristic of the Mangbetu. Such instruments commonly served to accompany songs by either male or female musicians. Cleveland artist Paul Travis acquired this work and some others during his travels in Central Africa in 1928.
date
by 1928
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q80002933
genreSpecific
Musical Instrument
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Handle: 36.9 cm (14 1/2 in.); Drum: 18.2 cm (7 3/16 in.)
cul
Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mangbetu-style maker
accession
1929.344
Source extras
tec
Wood, rawhide, plant fiber, metal, and glass bead
tombstone
Figurative harp (domu or kundi), by 1928. Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mangbetu-style maker. Wood, rawhide, plant fiber, metal, and glass bead; handle: 36.9 cm (14 1/2 in.); drum: 18.2 cm (7 3/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of the African Art Sponsors of Karamu House, 1929.344
collection
African Art
didYouKnow
Musicians pluck the strings of this instrument with their fingers.
citations
citation
Petridis, Constantijn. <em>South of the Sahara: selected works of African art. </em>Cleveland: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2003.
page_number
Reproduced: fig. 3, p. 14
citation
Petridis, Constantijn, et al. <em>Fragments of the Invisible: The René and Odette Delenne Collection of Congo Sculpture.</em> Cleveland, Ohio : Cleveland Museum of art ; Milan : 5 Continents Editions, 2013.
page_number
Mentioned: p. 107; reproduced: p. 109, fig. 69
citation
Petridis, Constantine. "A World of Great Art for Everyone." In <em>Representing Africa in American Art Museums: A Century of Collecting and Display</em>. Kathleen Bickford Berzock and Christa Clarke, 104-121. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2011.
page_number
Mentioned: p. 106.
creditline
Gift of the African Art Sponsors of Karamu House
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:52:41.240000
sourceId
110819
dept
African Art
coll
African Art
med
Wood, rawhide, plant fiber, metal, and glass bead
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
bbd4c1d4d6a17fea