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.
Provenance
colonial official in the Belgian Congo (by 1925); Pierre Loos, Brussels, Belgium; (Mr. and Mrs. Willem Vranken, Brussels, Belgium, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) (early 1980sā2003); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (2003ā)
Accession Number
2003.36
Medium
Wood and colorant
Dimensions
Overall: 68 cm (26 3/4 in.)
Classification
Sculpture
Credit Line
Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund