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Source Description
One of a pair, this male figure is adorned with metal, bead, and shell ornaments at the ears, waist, and ankles. An ornament on his upper arm may identify him as a warrior. Each figure has a series of vertically aligned bumps on the forehead. These represent highly raised keloid scars that were culturally meaningful forms of body modification. Carving of paired figures is well documented among the Ngbandi and their neighbors, the Ngbaka-Minagende, where such sculptures are said to represent the mythical ancestor Seto and his sister-wife, Nabo. Field-based research cannot confirm the existence of figurative couples among the Ngbandi.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
168758
label
Male Figure of a Pair
core
obj
dtoType
sculpture
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
168758
contentType
sculpture
title
Male Figure of a Pair
description
One of a pair, this male figure is adorned with metal, bead, and shell ornaments at the ears, waist, and ankles. An ornament on his upper arm may identify him as a warrior. Each figure has a series of vertically aligned bumps on the forehead. These represent highly raised keloid scars that were culturally meaningful forms of body modification. Carving of paired figures is well documented among the Ngbandi and their neighbors, the Ngbaka-Minagende, where such sculptures are said to represent the mythical ancestor Seto and his sister-wife, Nabo. Field-based research cannot confirm the existence of figurative couples among the Ngbandi.
date
late 1800s–early 1900s
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q60759149
genreSpecific
Sculpture
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 45 x 15.5 x 9.2 cm (17 11/16 x 6 1/8 x 3 5/8 in.)
cul
Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, probably Ngbandi-style carver
accession
2010.459.1
Source extras
tec
Wood, iron alloy, copper alloy, and cloth
tombstone
Male Figure of a Pair, late 1800s–early 1900s. Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, probably Ngbandi-style carver. Wood, iron alloy, copper alloy, and cloth; overall: 45 x 15.5 x 9.2 cm (17 11/16 x 6 1/8 x 3 5/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, René and Odette Delenne Collection, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund, 2010.459.1
collection
African Art
didYouKnow
Few examples of Ngbandi sculpture exist, and even fewer retain their adornments.
citations
citation
Kunsthaus Zürich, and Elsy Leuzinger. 1970. <em>Die Kunst Von Schwarz-Afrika : [Ausstellung: Kunsthaus Zürich] 31. Oktober 1970-17. Januar 1971</em>. Recklinghausen: Verlag Aurel Bongers, p. 331, cat. X27.
citation
"Recent Acquisitions (2005-11) at the Cleveland Museum of Art." The Burlington Magazine 1312:154 (July 2012): 525-32. Fig. I, p. 525.
citation
Bastin, Marie-Louise, et al. <em>Utotombo. L'Art d'Afrique noire dans les collections privées belges: Société des Expositions du Palais des Beaux-Arts, Bruxelles, 25 mars-5 juin 1988</em>, 248, 309. Exh. Cat. Brussels: Société des Expositions du Palais des Beaux-Arts, March 25-June 5, 1988.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 248
citation
Grootaers, Jan-Lodewijk, ed. <em>Ubangi. Art et cultures au Coeur de l'Afrique</em>, 154-155. Exh. Cat. Brussels: Fonds Mercator, in association with Afrika Museum, October 13, 2007-March 31, 2008.
page_number
Reproduced: 154-155
citation
Petridis, Constantine. "René and Odette Delenne." In <em>Tribal Art</em> XV-4, no. 61 (Autumn 2011): pp. 118-124.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 120
citation
Franklin, David. "Recent acquisitions (2005-11) at the Cleveland Museum of Art." In <em>The</em> <em>Burlington Magazine</em> 154, no. 1312 (July 2012): pp. 525-532.
page_number
p. 525
citation
Petridis, Constantine, et al. <em>Fragments of the Invisible</em>: <em>The René and Odette Delenne Collection of Congo Sculpture.</em> Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Museum of Art. Milan: 5 Continents, 2013, 26, 89, 94-95.
page_number
Mentioned: pp. 12, 26, 89-91
citation
Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>The CMA Companion: A Guide to the Cleveland Museum of Art</em>. Cleveland: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2014.
page_number
Mentioned and reproduced: P. 38
citation
Bangerter, Walter, and Elsy Leuzinger. <em>Afrikanische Kunstwerke: Kulturen am Niger</em>, 335. Exh. Cat. Recklinghausen: Verlag Aurel Bongers, in association with Villa Hügel, March 25-June 13, 1971.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 335
citation
Heymer, Kay, and Siegfried Gohr. <em>Afrikanische Skulptur: Die Erfindung der Figur</em>, 200. Exh. Cat. Cologne: Museum Ludwig, July 7-September 30, 1990.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 200
creditline
René and Odette Delenne Collection, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 08:40:55.702000
sourceId
168758
dept
African Art
coll
African Art
med
Wood, iron alloy, copper alloy, and cloth
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
7ba70e95b4454604