Head from a slit drum

late 19th century

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.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

References

Title: Head from a slit drum
Artist: Grassfields artist
Date: late 19th century
Geography: Cameroon, Bamileke, Bansoa
Culture: Bamileke peoples, Bansoa
Medium: Wood
Dimensions: H. 7 1/4 in. × W. 6 1/2 in. × D. 10 in. (18.4 × 16.5 × 25.4 cm)
Classification: Wood-Sculpture
Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979
Object Number: 1979.206.297
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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