Mangbetu Trumpet early 20th century
Uele region, Democratic Republic of Congo
Ivory; L. 50 in. (127 cm)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Purchase, Bequest of Olive Huber, by exchange, and Brian and Anne Marie Todes Gift, 1999 (1999.74)
Curator Comment
Elegant trumpets like this one are used in pairs to accompany dances or signal the king's entrance and departure. Royal instruments, made of ivory, were carved in deep relief with ridges, a complex architectural mouthpiece, and, on occasion, an emblem like the central canoe-shaped design seen toward the center of the tusk. Unlike European trumpets, which have a mouthpiece at the tapered end, sub-Saharan African horns are blown through holes in the side and may be decorated with skins, wooden extensions, and carving. Late nineteenth-century Europeans prized such decorative ivory horns, and the Mangbetu responded by producing trade instruments that were unfinished and unplayable. This beautiful piece, however, was to be played, and it possesses a booming voice.
J. Kenneth Moore, Frederick P. Rose Curator in Charge, Department of Musical Instruments