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Chair (Chitwamo or Njunga)

A work made of wood, brass tacks, and hide.

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  • A work made of wood, brass tacks, and hide.

Date:

Late 19th-early 20th century

Artist:

Chokwe
Angola
Central Africa

About this artwork

This miniature wooden chair would have been owned and used by a chief or dignitary. Designed for easy transportation, its form and construction derive from 17th-century Portuguese imports. Three-dimensional sculptures on the rungs and on the top of the seatback typically relate to Chokwe everyday life and mythology. The sculpted head that crowns this seatback represents a chihongo mask: a symbol of wealth, virility, and authority.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of Africa

Culture

Chokwe

Title

Chair (Chitwamo or Njunga)

Place

Angola (Object made in:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1875–1925

Medium

Wood, brass tacks, and hide

Dimensions

51.2 × 24.8 × 28.6 cm (20 1/8 × 9 3/4 × 11 1/4 in.)

Credit Line

Winter and Hirsch Fund

Reference Number

1968.789

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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