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.
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On View
- Arts of Africa, Gallery 137
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Culture
- Chokwe
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Title
- Chair (Chitwamo or Njunga)
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Origin
- Angola
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Date
- 1875–1925
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Medium
- Wood, brass tacks, and hide
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Dimensions
- H. 50.8 cm (20 in.)
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Credit Line
- Winter and Hirsch Fund
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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.
