Prestige staff with openwork design
Southern African sculptors created skillfully designed and executed functional artifacts used in everyday life. The role of the walking stick in Zulu society was so ubiquitous that there are more than seventy-five terms for different types of sticks. In that highly stratified society, they were carried by commoners and high-ranking officials alike for walking, dancing, hunting, and combat.
The refinement and creative embellishment of this example indicate that it was a prestige object intended for elderly men and women. It is carved from a single piece of wood, and its finial takes the form of a series of openwork triangles. The shaft is embellished through subtly inventive variations of textures and colors. Some segments of the wood surface are decorated with graphic motifs alternating with passages of delicately applied brass and iron wire work. The metal wires contrast against the rich, lustrous, dark patina of the wood, the result of extensive handling and the application of animal fats.
The refinement and creative embellishment of this example indicate that it was a prestige object intended for elderly men and women. It is carved from a single piece of wood, and its finial takes the form of a series of openwork triangles. The shaft is embellished through subtly inventive variations of textures and colors. Some segments of the wood surface are decorated with graphic motifs alternating with passages of delicately applied brass and iron wire work. The metal wires contrast against the rich, lustrous, dark patina of the wood, the result of extensive handling and the application of animal fats.
Artwork Details
- Title: Prestige staff with openwork design
- Artist: Zulu artist
- Date: 19th–mid-20th century
- Geography: South Africa
- Culture: Zulu or Nguni peoples
- Medium: Wood, brass, iron wire
- Dimensions: W. 4 1/8 × D. 1 1/2 × L. 46 in. (10.5 × 3.8 × 116.8 cm)
- Classification: Wood-Sculpture
- Credit Line: The Bryce Holcombe Collection of African Decorative Art, Gift of Bryce Holcombe, 1982
- Object Number: 1982.485.15
- Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Zulu artist
19th century
Ìgbèsànmwà (ivory- and wood- carving guild) artists
16th century
Kongo artist
19th century
Songye artist and nganga (ritual specialist)
19th–first half of 20th century
Soninke blacksmith
19th–early 20th century
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.