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Source Description
<em>Egbe</em> (singular: <em>negbe</em>) were fashionable and practical garments aristocratic Mangbetu women made for special occasions. Worn over a skirt, it tied onto a girdle along with a frontal “apron.” The curved interior piece rested on the lower back. Thickly woven, flexible natural fibers bent with the body, cushioning the wearer’s behind when sitting. When the woman was standing, the decorated flat portion faced outward, showing off bold geometric motifs. Egbe were among items sold to foreigners at the Mangbetu king’s encouragement as the Mangbetu actively constructed their self image for outsiders during the 1920s and 1930s.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
110829
label
Back Skirt/Sitting Pad (negbe)
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
110829
contentType
object
title
Back Skirt/Sitting Pad (negbe)
description
<em>Egbe</em> (singular: <em>negbe</em>) were fashionable and practical garments aristocratic Mangbetu women made for special occasions. Worn over a skirt, it tied onto a girdle along with a frontal “apron.” The curved interior piece rested on the lower back. Thickly woven, flexible natural fibers bent with the body, cushioning the wearer’s behind when sitting. When the woman was standing, the decorated flat portion faced outward, showing off bold geometric motifs. Egbe were among items sold to foreigners at the Mangbetu king’s encouragement as the Mangbetu actively constructed their self image for outsiders during the 1920s and 1930s.
date
by 1928
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q80002948
genreSpecific
Garment
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 19.7 x 27.3 x 6.3 cm (7 3/4 x 10 3/4 x 2 1/2 in.)
cul
Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mangbetu-style makers
accession
1929.353
Source extras
tec
Plant fibers and dye
tombstone
Back Skirt/Sitting Pad (negbe), by 1928. Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mangbetu-style makers. Plant fibers and dye; overall: 19.7 x 27.3 x 6.3 cm (7 3/4 x 10 3/4 x 2 1/2 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of the African Art Sponsors of Karamu House, 1929.353
collection
African Art
didYouKnow
A curved "handle" on the <em>negbe</em>'s interior allowed it to rest on the tailbone.
citations
citation
Boger, Ann C. et al. Paul B. Travis Africa 1927-1928. Cleveland Museum of Art, 1982. p. 30.
creditline
Gift of the African Art Sponsors of Karamu House
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:52:47.510000
sourceId
110829
dept
African Art
coll
African Art
med
Plant fibers and dye
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
0fc48e41caff3e79