Search Results

Title

Chief's hat

Artist

Artist Unknown, African, Bamileke Peoples, Cameroon

Physical Description

Miter-shaped hat with double layer of fabric made from whorls of light-colored cotton applique on dark green velveteen ground. Sides of hat terminate in red tassels. Front edge of hat is trimmed with red fabric.

Century

20th century

Object Creation Date

1925-1975

Accession Number

1997/1.171

Medium and Support

cotton appliqué with tassels

relevance

rank 10.88068

Primary Keywords

appliquè

authority

hats

prestige

Title

Beaded Coronet (oríkògbòfó or ojewe)

Artist

Artist Unknown, African, Yoruba Peoples Nigeria

Physical Description

Round beaded crown with six radiating bands (predominantly green with white, metallic and blue accents) that stem from the central axis upon which the big blue-headed bird sits. Smaller birds perch at the base of the bands. Bottom rim predominantly red with white, metallic and blue accents. Spaces in between vertical bands are filled with yellow feathers or possibly synthetic material.

Century

Mid-20th century

Object Creation Date

1925-1975

Accession Number

1997/1.345

Medium and Support

cloth, glass beads, metallic beads, feathers

relevance

rank 10.76236

Primary Keywords

authority

beads

birds

crown

royalty

Title

Flywhisk (mpiya, nsea, nfunka or nyese)

Artist

Artist Unknown, African, Dondo Peoples Congo Republic

Physical Description

Wood-carved flywhisk is shape of a woman. Her torso doubles as the whisk handle and is scarified with leaden inlay, which has been worn smooth due to extended use. A red cotton wrap marks the transition zone between the female’s torso and the buffalo hair whisk below. The whisk visually acts as a grass skirt completing the above figure’s body and dress.

Century

late 18th - early 19th century

Object Creation Date

circa 1800

Accession Number

2005/1.176

Medium and Support

wood, lead, cotton fiber, buffalo hair

relevance

rank 10.64658

Primary Keywords

authority

divination

figure (representation)

flywhisks

prestige

Title

Ogboni staff

Artist

Artist Unknown, African, Yoruba Peoples Nigeria

Physical Description

Brass female figure, kneeling with buttocks on the heels, atop an iron staff. The protruding eyes, nose, and mouth convey a serene, dignified and somewhat withdrawn look. The figure has a beard around the face; she wears ornamentation in small holes atop the ears, cone-shaped headgear, and an elaborate necklace; there is a small spiral motif on the forehead, and two larger spiral motifs on the sides of the body. The hands are held in closed fists in front of the body, the left hand on top of the right.

Object Creation Date

1900-1970

Accession Number

2001/2.39

Medium and Support

brass, iron

relevance

rank 10.64658

Primary Keywords

authority

ceremonial staffs

figurines

iron (metal)

Title

Oba’s Beaded Crown (adénlá)

Artist

Artist Unknown, African, Yoruba Peoples Nigeria

Physical Description

Beaded, veil fringed, canonical crown; seven long beaded tassles dangle from the bottom rim of the crown; entire surface area is embroidered with multi-colored seed beads; three tiers of colorful faces surround the perimeter; a series of three dimensional birds perch on top of the crown; the largest bird sits on tip and is removable.

Century

Mid-20th century

Object Creation Date

1925-1975

Accession Number

1997/1.306

Medium and Support

glass beads, cotton fabric, raffia palm

relevance

rank 10.53327

Primary Keywords

authority

beads

birds

crown

faces

head

royalty

Title

Chair

Artist

Artist Unknown, African, Chokwe Peoples Angola

Physical Description

Two squatting figures decorate the finials; one is elderly, bearded, and scarified, while the other is fresh-faced and young. At the lower left rung, two men carry a slit drum; between the caryatid figures supporting the chair’s front legs appear three men; the central splat has incised diagonal patterns called fuliko. At the center, what is possibly a pointy-nosed European’s face replaces the more habitual chikungu masker.

Century

20th century

Object Creation Date

1900-1925

Accession Number

1992/1.136

Medium and Support

wood (dyed with vegetal infusion or stained with castor oil), animal hide

relevance

rank 10.53327

Primary Keywords

authority

carving

ceremonial chairs

wood (sculpture by material)

Title

Elephant Mask (mbap mteng)

Artist

Artist Unknown, African, Bamileke Peoples, Cameroon

Physical Description

Face mask embroidered extensively wtih glass beads. Two long panels hang down the front and back of the wearer. Humanoid face at top has two round eye holes allowing the wearer to see, a strip of fabric for nose and open, upturned mouth. Ears are protruding disks attached on either side of the face . Top of the head is covered with small, corklike knobs covered with black cloth. The beadwork is predominantly green, with intricate, scallop-shaped patterns along edge of panels, and vertical, star-like patterns filling center of the panels. Interior of panels is lined with damask.

Century

20th century

Object Creation Date

1950-1999

Accession Number

1997/1.319

Medium and Support

cloth, glass beads, fiber

relevance

rank 10.42234

Primary Keywords

authority

beads

elephants

face masks

masquerades

prestige

royalty

Title

Chief’s Caryatid Stool (citwamo ka kaponya)

Artist

Artist Unknown, African, Chokwe Peoples Angola

Physical Description

This hour-glass shaped stool is supported by two caryatid figures who sit in a pose of lamentation—crouched with head in hands. Scarified patterned abstracted tears spill from their lower eyelids. Brass studs adorn the perimeter of the stool’s seat, base, and figures. Both figures wear strings of black, red and white beads around their necks.

Century

Late 19th century

Object Creation Date

2nd half of 19th century

Accession Number

2005/1.204

Medium and Support

wood, glass beads, and brass tacks

relevance

rank 10.42234

Primary Keywords

authority

brasswork

carving

figures (representations)

wood (sculpture by material)

Title

Women in Front of the Prison

Artist

Fanny Rabel

Physical Description

Three women stand at the center of the piece in front of what appears to be a prison. The woman in the middle covers her mouth with her hand; face filled with anguish. The face of the woman to the right of the painting is not shown, while the woman to the left stands with hands clasp, hair long, and face stoic.

Artist Life Dates

Mexican, born Poland, 1922-2008

Century

20th century

Object Creation Date

1924-1958

Accession Number

1958/1.110

Medium and Support

lithograph on paper

relevance

rank 9.59131

Primary Keywords

buildings, local authority

groups of people

groups, ethnic

standing

women

Title

Staff

Artist

Artist Unknown, African, Yaka Peoples, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Physical Description

A stylized human head with an elaborate coiffure, sitting atop a larger animal head with scarification marks below the eyes, tops a well-carved staff with angular handle and a zig-zag carved pattern below the handle. The eyes of both figures are set in shallow cavities and appear squinted or closed.

Object Creation Date

mid 20th century

Accession Number

2001/2.19

Medium and Support

wood

relevance

rank 9.58423

Primary Keywords

authority

ceremonial staffs

heads

staff

staffs (walking sticks)