Luba, Dem. Rep. of Congo: A rare prestige staff of a chief or other dignitary, with a whole female figure and three masks in relief.
Luba, Dem. Rep. of Congo: A rare prestige staff of a chief or other dignitary, with a whole female figure and three masks in relief.
Chiefs and old dignitaries of the Luba, in southern Congo, own prestige staffs, such as the present one, as a symbol of their authority.
The present staff consists of a piece of hard, brown wood. The upper half is richly carved with fine details. It features a whole female figure in a standing position, with head, hairstyle, and a long body with typical tribal scarification marks and with comparatively short, bent arms and legs. The head of the figure is surmounted by a flat handle, with two masks and geometric line decoration in relief. Under the figure there is a further rhomb-shaped, flat decoration consisting of one single mask and a similar pattern of lines in relief. The staff then continues with a round cross-section.
A rare, very carefully crafted object with good usage patina and minor age-related cracks (to the upper section and from the left side of the figure downwards). First half of the 20th century; H: 91 cm. (ME)
Provenance: Belgian Private Collection.
Lit.: ‘Luba’ by Francois Neyt, fig. p. 118, 119, 121.
Specialist: Erwin Melchardt
Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465
erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at
26.05.2015 - 15:00
- Estimate:
-
EUR 2,400.- to EUR 3,000.-
Luba, Dem. Rep. of Congo: A rare prestige staff of a chief or other dignitary, with a whole female figure and three masks in relief.
Chiefs and old dignitaries of the Luba, in southern Congo, own prestige staffs, such as the present one, as a symbol of their authority.
The present staff consists of a piece of hard, brown wood. The upper half is richly carved with fine details. It features a whole female figure in a standing position, with head, hairstyle, and a long body with typical tribal scarification marks and with comparatively short, bent arms and legs. The head of the figure is surmounted by a flat handle, with two masks and geometric line decoration in relief. Under the figure there is a further rhomb-shaped, flat decoration consisting of one single mask and a similar pattern of lines in relief. The staff then continues with a round cross-section.
A rare, very carefully crafted object with good usage patina and minor age-related cracks (to the upper section and from the left side of the figure downwards). First half of the 20th century; H: 91 cm. (ME)
Provenance: Belgian Private Collection.
Lit.: ‘Luba’ by Francois Neyt, fig. p. 118, 119, 121.
Specialist: Erwin Melchardt
Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465
erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at
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| Auction: | Tribal Art |
| Auction type: | Saleroom auction |
| Date: | 26.05.2015 - 15:00 |
| Location: | Vienna | Palais Dorotheum |
| Exhibition: | 20.05. - 26.05.2015 |