Luba Shankadi Musamo headrest
Prestige in traditional African art
Remarkable musamo neckrest or African headrest from the Luba kingdom.
It is a monoxyl object therefore carved from a single piece of wood which contributes to the exceptional character of this piece in view of the finesse of the work involved. Neckrests of this type are, in addition to being purely everyday objects, prestigious objects made to order by a conductor who has the means to afford such a work. It should be noted that the Luba made complex hairstyles that had to be preserved by placing the head in the shelter of the layer.
The Luba Shankadi are known for their so-called "cascading" headdresses as seen in the attached pop-up photo.
The copy that I am offering you here consists of a seat supported by two figures located on the back of their mount, the horns of which join the seat. A similar copy can be found in the work Luba: aux sources du Zaïre, F. NEYT, p. 186, see photo.
01564
Data sheet
- Presumed dating
- Mid XXth century
- Size
- 19 cm
- Ethnic group
- Material(s)
- Wood
- Country
- Origin
- Tribal art collection Belgium
- Condition
- Excellent
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Prestige in traditional African art
Remarkable musamo neckrest or African headrest from the Luba kingdom.
It is a monoxyl object therefore carved from a single piece of wood which contributes to the exceptional character of this piece in view of the finesse of the work involved. Neckrests of this type are, in addition to being purely everyday objects, prestigious objects made to order by a conductor who has the means to afford such a work. It should be noted that the Luba made complex hairstyles that had to be preserved by placing the head in the shelter of the layer.
The Luba Shankadi are known for their so-called "cascading" headdresses as seen in the attached pop-up photo.
The copy that I am offering you here consists of a seat supported by two figures located on the back of their mount, the horns of which join the seat. A similar copy can be found in the work Luba: aux sources du Zaïre, F. NEYT, p. 186, see photo.