Artwork Page for Ceremonial Chair or Throne (citwamo ca mangu)

Details / Information for Ceremonial Chair or Throne (citwamo ca mangu)

Ceremonial Chair or Throne (citwamo ca mangu)

1800s

Africa, Central Africa, Angola, Chokwe-style carver

Medium
Wood, upholstery studs, leather
Measurements
Overall: 107 x 55 x 55 cm (42 1/8 x 21 5/8 x 21 5/8 in.)
Credit Line
Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund 2024.140
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
108A African
Print
?

Did You Know?

Starting around the 1500s, Chokwe and other African leaders and traders received fine chairs as gifts from Portuguese traders. Chokwe leaders adapted this symbol of power as their own, using it in tandem with stools, an earlier kind of prestige seat.

Description

This citwamo ca mangu chair bears over 40 sculpted figures arranged in complex compositions across the chair’s top rail (back), stretchers (rungs), and legs; all symbolize the power of Chokwe supreme chiefs. Such chairs typically bear a dozen or fewer figures. Scenes of royal life and power wrap around the seat, reinforcing how the chief and his family are at the center of their polity and its business.
A dark-brown wood chair is embellished with rows of brass studs. The backrest contains two tiers of stylized figures. Below the square seat, three horizontal rows of miniature figures fill the space between the legs; the middle tier features figures in a boat. Two larger figures with elongated torsos and hands pressed to their chests act as the front legs. Repetitive metal studs create textured patterns across the dark, intricately carved surfaces.

Ceremonial Chair or Throne (citwamo ca mangu)

1800s

Africa, Central Africa, Angola, Chokwe-style carver

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

Contact Us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

Update or Correct Artwork Information

Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

Report a Website Issue

Further Questions About This Artwork