Description:

Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Luba or Hemba peoples, ca. late 19th to early 20th century CE. A wooden staff featuring a nude female figure carved at the top, her hair styled into an elongated coiffure. Her stomach is adorned with incised markings, likely representing ritual scarification or tattoos. Scepters and staffs were prestige items symbolizing the power and authority of their owners, often inspired by the form of war clubs, frequently incorporated carved effigies of revered figures or ancestors to embody spiritual guidance and ancestral connection. The idealized female form was often believed to grant power or wisdom to the bearer. Size: 34" L x 3" W (86.4 cm x 7.6 cm)

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection

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#190178

    Condition:
  • Stable pressure fissures and old losses and gouges, but otherwise good condition. Nice patina!

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January 23, 2025 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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