Vessel

First half of 20th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 344

During the second half of the nineteenth century, when the kingdom was most powerful, Mangbetu aristocrats surrounded themselves with a wide variety of finely crafted utilitarian objects--boxes, jars, stools, musical instruments, and weapons. A distinctive tradition of anthropomorphic sculpture associated with Mangbetu culture developed about 1900. Although such forms predate the colonial presence, European patrons greatly expanded the demand for them. These works show the elaborate reed-reinforced coiffures and elongated heads once common among the Mangbetu, who in the past shaped infants' skulls by gentle pressure.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

References

Title: Vessel
Artist: Mangbetu artist
Date: First half of 20th century
Geography: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Culture: Mangbetu peoples
Medium: Terracotta, slip(?)
Dimensions: H. 8 3/16 x W. 6 1/4 x D. 6 1/4 in. (20.8 x 15.9 x 15.9 cm)
Classification: Ceramics-Containers
Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979
Object Number: 1979.206.246
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

More Artwork

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Chief's nogi (wrapper), Mangbetu artist, Bark cloth (Ficus natalensis or Ficus platyphylla), dye, Mangbetu peoples — Chief's nogi (wrapper)
Mangbetu artist
First half of 20th century

Negbe (women’s back apron), Mangbetu artist, Banana leaves, raffia palm fiber, natural dye, Mangbetu peoples — Negbe (women’s back apron)
Mangbetu artist
ca. 1925–50

Pipe Bowl, Mangbetu artist, Wood, pigment, resin(?), Mangbetu peoples — Pipe Bowl
Mangbetu artist
First half of 20th century

Domu (harp), Mangbetu artist, Wood, hide, plant fiber, twine, brass, Mangbetu peoples — Domu (harp)
Mangbetu artist
19th–first half of 20th century

Barkcloth panel, Mangbetu artist, Barkcloth (Ficus natalensis or Ficus platyphylla), dye, Mangbetu people — Barkcloth panel
Mangbetu artist
ca. 1900–50

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