The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 19, 2024

Male Figure

Male Figure

mid- to late 1800s
Wood and colorant
Overall: 68 cm (26 3/4 in.)
Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund 2003.36
Location: 108A Sub-Saharan

Description

Hungaan figures of this size served as guardians of ritual shrines and functioned in rituals to promote fertility, guarantee well-being, and ensure longevity. The striking crested hairstyle imitates a real coiffure or a wig, indicative of status and prestige. The hands supporting the chin identify the figure as a chief who is immersed in thought and contemplation, pondering over his responsibilities.
  • by 1925
    colonial official in the Belgian Congo
    Pierre Loos, Brussels, Belgium
    early 1980s–2003
    (Mr. and Mrs. Willem Vranken, Brussels, Belgium, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    2003–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Petridis, Constantijn. South of the Sahara: selected works of African art. Cleveland: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2003. Reproduced: cat. 38, p. 106 - 107
  • {{cite web|title=Male Figure|url=false|author=|year=mid- to late 1800s|access-date=19 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2003.36