Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Ceremonial Drum with Power Animal (Hippopotamus?) Supporting Figurative Superstructure
Not on view
This visually arresting creation based on the form of a distinctive royal drum from the kingdom of Loango was likely made for sale to a European client and never used. The focal point of the composition is a disembodied human face framed by a serpent. This surreal image hovers above a zoomorphic form at the base that may be a hippopotamus covered with spots that refer to spiritual might.
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