Pendant Belt (Nkody Mupaap)

Arts of Africa

19th century

Kuba
Kasai region, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Central Africa

Since the inception of the Kuba Kingdom in the 16th century, individuals have signaled court rank and status with their elaborate dress. Glass beads imported from Europe and cowrie shells from the Indian Ocean have been used in the production of such accoutrements since the 18th century. Exclusively owned by men, bead- and shell-covered belts and pendants like this pre-1910 examples are still worn in combination with voluminous textile skirt-wrappers by both Kuba royalty and Kuba masqueraders. [See also 1997.460]

Status: Currently Off View
Department: Arts of Africa

Culture: Kuba
Title: Pendant Belt (Nkody Mupaap)
Place: Democratic Republic of the Congo (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.: 1801–1900
Medium: Jute, raffia, cowrie shells, and beads
Dimensions: 165.1 × 14 × 2.5 cm (65 × 5 1/2 × 1 in.)
Credit Line: Gift of Richard J. Faletti, the Faletti Family Collection
Reference Number: 1997.461
IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world. Learn more.: https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/148325/manifest.json

Mary Nooter Roberts and Allen F. Roberts, A Sense of Wonder: African Art from the Faletti Family Collection (University of Washington Press, 1997), pg. 12 (ill.).

Art Institute of Chicago, African Artistry: Gifts from the Faletti Family Collection, Oct. 5–May 18, 2003, Gallery 142, no. cat.

Nève de Mévergnies Family, before 1910 [see receipt from Deletaille in file]; Emile Deletaille, Brussels, by 1984; sold to Richard J. Faletti (died 2006) and Barbara Faletti (died 2000), Chicago, Ill. and Phoenix, Ariz., 1984; given to the Art Institute, 1997.

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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.

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IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.