Cleveland Museum of Art

Stool

Date

by 1928

Medium

wood

Culture

Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mangbetu-style maker

Department

African Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Such stools were highly prized by their female owners. Sculpted by master artists with widespread reputations, they were often "signed" with a deeply cut mark on the base. This groove was then filled with red camwood as an expression of blessings and good wishes for the stool's owner. In 1928, Paul Travis photographed the Mangbetu queen who once owned this stool as she sat on it.

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