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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

On View, Gallery 137

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

H.: 50.8 cm (20 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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