Head from a slit drum

Grassfields artist

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 344

This sculptural fragment is one of a pair of nearly identical heads carved to adorn opposing ends of a monumental slit drum. Much like thrones, slit drums became emblems of royal authority. They were sounded only while the rulers who commissioned them lived. This work has been linked to the reign of King Foméné of Bansoa, whose court artists favored naturalism in sculpture. Dramatically elongated ears wrap expressively around the head, as if extending its powers of hearing.

Head from a slit drum, Grassfields artist, Wood, Bamileke peoples, Bansoa

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.