Chief's chair or throne "citwamo ca mangu"
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- Chief's chair or throne "citwamo ca mangu"
Lot: 285
Chief's chair or throne "citwamo ca mangu"
Angola, Chokwe
Provenance | Size | Hammer price |
---|---|---|
collected before 1955 Jonny Van De Rijck Pierre Loos, Brussels, Belgium, 1992 Belgian Collection |
H: 24.4 inch (backrest); 10.6 inch (seat) |
This object is not available anymore. |
wood, metal,
This chair is an example of masterful craftsmanship. The individual parts were precisely mortised together and fixed in place with hand-forged metal clasps and nails.
The throne is adorned with a depiction of the ideal man ("cihongo"), flanked by two female figures. The struts between the chair legs are carved with figural scenes from the daily and ceremonial life of the Chokwe.
These chairs were status symbols of the village chiefs and an expression of their worldly power and authority, as well as a sign of supreme spiritual power. Their form is inspired by European models.
Bocola, Sandro (Hg.), Afrikanische Sitze, München, New York 1994, p. 185
ADHRC: 0124086