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Though modest in scale and fragmentary in that its blade is missing, this is perhaps one of the finest surviving examples of a sculptural object in the little-known style of the Kalundwe people. It represents a poorly documented culture's artistic style that sits between the Songye to the west and the Luba to the east. Showing surface traces of continuous manipulation, the shaft of this short staff is entirely wrapped with a copper sheet, a common feature of rank emblems. Originally, it would have had an iron blade projecting from its mouth. However, rather than serving as a functional tool for carving, it would be hung over the shoulder to signal the high rank of its owner, be it a chief, another dignitary, or even a sculptor.
Page data
- Page
- 1
- Source index
- 0
- Type
- photo
- Media ID
- c19898823a8b5e77
- Size
- unknown
Document data
- ID
- 282136
- Core
- obj
- Type
- object
DTO data
{
"id": "282136",
"contentType": "object",
"title": "Fragment of a Staff",
"description": "Though modest in scale and fragmentary in that its blade is missing, this is perhaps one of the finest surviving examples of a sculptural object in the little-known style of the Kalundwe people. It represents a poorly documented culture's artistic style that sits between the Songye to the west and the Luba to the east. Showing surface traces of continuous manipulation, the shaft of this short staff is entirely wrapped with a copper sheet, a common feature of rank emblems. Originally, it would have had an iron blade projecting from its mouth. However, rather than serving as a functional tool for carving, it would be hung over the shoulder to signal the high rank of its owner, be it a chief, another dignitary, or even a sculptor.",
"date": "late 1800s–early 1900s",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2016.11",
"rights": "CC0",
"rightsUri": "CC0",
"language": "en",
"wikidata": [
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"largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.11/2016.11_web.jpg",
"imageCount": 1,
"source": "import",
"dimensionsRaw": "Overall: 34.5 x 3.2 x 5.4 cm (13 9/16 x 1 1/4 x 2 1/8 in.)",
"cul": [
"Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kalundwe, unknown maker"
],
"accession": "2016.11"
}
Context sent to Scholar
Document identity
{
"localId": "282136",
"label": "Fragment of a Staff",
"core": "obj",
"dtoType": "object"
}
Document source metadata
{
"id": "282136",
"contentType": "object",
"title": "Fragment of a Staff",
"description": "Though modest in scale and fragmentary in that its blade is missing, this is perhaps one of the finest surviving examples of a sculptural object in the little-known style of the Kalundwe people. It represents a poorly documented culture's artistic style that sits between the Songye to the west and the Luba to the east. Showing surface traces of continuous manipulation, the shaft of this short staff is entirely wrapped with a copper sheet, a common feature of rank emblems. Originally, it would have had an iron blade projecting from its mouth. However, rather than serving as a functional tool for carving, it would be hung over the shoulder to signal the high rank of its owner, be it a chief, another dignitary, or even a sculptor.",
"date": "late 1800s–early 1900s",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2016.11",
"rights": "CC0",
"rightsUri": "CC0",
"language": "en",
"wikidata": [
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],
"genreSpecific": [
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],
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"thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.11/2016.11_web.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.11/2016.11_web.jpg",
"imageCount": 1,
"source": "import",
"dimensionsRaw": "Overall: 34.5 x 3.2 x 5.4 cm (13 9/16 x 1 1/4 x 2 1/8 in.)",
"cul": [
"Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kalundwe, unknown maker"
],
"accession": "2016.11"
}
Document source extras
{
"tec": "Wood, copper alloy, upholstery studs, and iron",
"tombstone": "Fragment of a Staff, late 1800s–early 1900s. Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kalundwe, unknown maker. Wood, copper alloy, upholstery studs, and iron; overall: 34.5 x 3.2 x 5.4 cm (13 9/16 x 1 1/4 x 2 1/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Kim Sherwin, 2016.11",
"collection": "African Art",
"url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2016.11",
"creditline": "Gift of Kim Sherwin",
"updatedAt": "2026-05-29 08:51:31.437000",
"imageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.11/2016.11_print.jpg",
"sourceId": 282136,
"dept": "African Art",
"coll": "African Art",
"med": "Wood, copper alloy, upholstery studs, and iron",
"thumbnail_url": null,
"image_url": null
}
Page context
{
"seq": 1,
"pageIndex": 0,
"type": "photo",
"url": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.11/2016.11_web.jpg",
"mediaId": "c19898823a8b5e77"
}