id:			110819
accession number:	1929.344
share license status:	CC0
url:			https://clevelandart.org/art/1929.344
updated:		2023-03-04 09:29:43.382000

Bowharp, by 1928. Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mangbetu-style maker. Wood, rawhide, plant fiber, metal, and glass bead; handle: 36.9 cm (14 1/2 in.); drum: 18.2 cm (7 3/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of the African Art Sponsors of Karamu House 1929.344

title:				Bowharp
title in original language:	
series:				
series in original language:	
creation date:			by 1928
creation date earliest:		1900
creation date latest:		1928
current location:		
creditline:			Gift of the African Art Sponsors of Karamu House
copyright:			

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culture:	Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mangbetu-style maker
technique:	Wood, rawhide, plant fiber, metal, and glass bead
department:	African Art
collection:	African Art
type:		Musical Instrument
find spot:	
catalogue raisonne: 

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CREATORS

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measurements: Handle: 36.9 cm (14 1/2 in.); Drum: 18.2 cm (7 3/16 in.)
state of the work:	
edition of the work: 	

support materials:


inscriptions:

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CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

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LEGACY EXHIBITIONS

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PROVENANCE

	Acquired by Paul Travis on behalf of the African Art Sponsors and the Gilpin Players in Ekibondo, Democratic Republic of the Congo (then-Belgian Congo)
	date: 1928
	footnotes: 	
			
			* <div><!--block-->Boger, Ann C. et al. <em>Paul B. Travis Africa 1927-1928</em>. Cleveland Museum of Art, 1982. PP. 32–33, 35, 47.&nbsp;</div>
			
			
	citations: 	


	The African Art Sponsors and the Gilpin Players
	date: 1928
	footnotes: 	
			
			* <div><!--block-->12/3/1928 letter to the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History from Hazel Mountain Walker (Gilpin Players, president) and Harry E. Davis (African Art Sponsors, president) reproduced on p. 54 of Adams, Henry et al. <em>Paul Travis 1891-1975</em>. Cleveland Artists Foundation, 2001.</div>
			
			
	citations: 	


	The Cleveland Museum of Art by gift
	date: 1929–
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


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fun fact:


digital description:


wall description:
Although five-stringed melodic harps with anthropomorphic decorations are found among different peoples in northern Congo, the elongated skull of this work is characteristic of the Mangbetu. Such instruments commonly served to accompany songs by either male or female musicians. Cleveland artist Paul Travis acquired this work and some others during his travels in Central Africa in 1928.
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RELATED WORKS

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CITATIONS

	Petridis, Constantijn. <em>South of the Sahara: selected works of African art. </em>Cleveland: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2003.
	page number: 	Reproduced: fig. 3, p. 14
	url:		

	Petridis, Constantijn, et al. <em>Fragments of the Invisible: The René and Odette Delenne Collection of Congo Sculpture.</em> Cleveland, Ohio : Cleveland Museum of art ; Milan : 5 Continents Editions, 2013.
	page number: 	Mentioned: p. 107; reproduced: p. 109, fig. 69
	url:		

	Petridis, Constantine. "A World of Great Art for Everyone." In <em>Representing Africa in American Art Museums: A Century of Collecting and Display</em>. Kathleen Bickford Berzock and Christa Clarke, 104-121. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2011.
	page number: 	Mentioned: p. 106.
	url:		

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IMAGES

web:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1929.344/1929.344_web.jpg
print:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1929.344/1929.344_print.jpg
full:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1929.344/1929.344_full.tif