id: 163545
accession number: 2004.85.b
share license status: CC0
url: https://clevelandart.org/art/2004.85.b
updated: 2023-08-15 11:34:47.444000
Staff of Office (lower segment), early-mid 1800s. Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Luba-style maker. Iron; overall: 170 cm (66 15/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund 2004.85.b
title: Staff of Office (lower segment)
title in original language:
series:
series in original language:
creation date: early-mid 1800s
creation date earliest: 1800
creation date latest: 1850
current location: 001A ArtLens Exhibition
creditline: John L. Severance Fund
copyright:
---
culture: Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Luba-style maker
technique: Iron
department: African Art
collection: African Art
type: Sculpture
find spot:
catalogue raisonne:
---
CREATORS
---
measurements: Overall: 170 cm (66 15/16 in.)
state of the work:
edition of the work:
support materials:
inscriptions:
---
CURRENT EXHIBITIONS
title: Art and Power in the Central African Savanna
opening date: 2008-09-18T00:00:00
Art and Power in the Central African Savanna. Menil Collection, Houston, TX (September 26, 2008-January 4, 2009); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (March 1-May 31, 2009); Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, de Young Museum, San Francisco, CA (June 20-October 11, 2009).
title: Artlens Exhibition 2019
opening date: 2019-06-11T04:00:00
Artlens Exhibition 2019. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer).
---
LEGACY EXHIBITIONS
---
PROVENANCE
Chief Msidi (c. 1830–1891), Yeke (Garanzange) Kingdom (present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo), 1888, given to British missionary Frederick Stanley Arnot
date: ?–1888
footnotes:
* "Msidi's farewell was quite touching in its way. He was anxious that I should wait for his son to go with me. I did not care to encourage this, so declined to wait. At last, after finding that I sought nothing from him, he gave me from his side his rod of authority, or sceptre, assuring me that it would be, to all who knew him, an assurance of the friendship that exists between us." March 13, 1888 letter from Frederick Stanley Arnot reproduced in Arnot, Frederick. S. 1893. Bihé And Garenganze: Or Four Years' Further Work and Travel in Central Africa. London: J.E. Hawkin, pp. 244–45.
* - Msidi is often referred to as Msiri, or by the fuller name Mwenda Msiri Ngelengwa Shitambi
citations:
Frederick Stanley Arnot [1858-1914], probably Glasgow, Scotland, 1914, by descent to his son Dr. Arthur B. Arnot.
date: 1888–1914
footnotes:
citations:
Dr. Arthur B. Arnot, New York, NY, 1987, consigned for auction at Sotheby’s.
date: 1914–1987
footnotes:
citations:
(Sotheby’s, Important Tribal Art, New York, NY, Nov. 10, 1987, Lot #79, sold to Philippe and Hélène Leloup for George Feher)
date: 1987
footnotes:
citations:
George Feher, New York, NY, 1990s, acquired by Morris Pinto
date: 1987–1990s
footnotes:
citations:
Morris Pinto, New York, NY, 1996, acquired by Philippe and Hélène Leloup
date: ?–1996
footnotes:
citations:
Philippe and Hélène Leloup, Paris, France, 2004, donated to Marie Victoire Koch
date: 1996–2004
footnotes:
citations:
Marie Victoire Koch, Saint Mandé, France, 2004, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art
date: 2004
footnotes:
citations:
The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
date: 2004–
footnotes:
citations:
---
fun fact:
Besides prestige emblems and symbols of power, these staffs were also historical documents that could be “read” like a sculptural map from top to bottom.
digital description:
Sanctified by a ritual specialist and enhanced with medicinal substances, the staff possessed supernatural qualities and was endowed with healing power. Luba staffs are among the most important regalia of Luba kings. The metal point alludes to the kingdom's stability and durability. Each staff has its own distinctive iconography to reflect regional styles.
wall description:
The Luba kingdom flourished from about the 17th century to the late 19th century. The best-known Luba object types relate to ideas of kingship and the kingdom's ceremonial and ritual life. Staffs are among the most important Luba regalia. During the investiture ritual, the new ruler holds the staff when he swears his oath of office. Aside from being a symbol of rank and high office, a staff also serves as a historical document and archive that can be "read" like a sculptural map, memorializing important events, places, and people. The rendering of women points to their political and religious significance in history and society; although Luba rulers were always male, their mothers, wives, and sisters acted as advisors and diplomats behind the scenes. On this particular staff, the Janus heads and female figures probably represent one of the many Luba tutelary spirit pairs. The metal point alludes to the kingdom's stability and durability.
Despite the fact that Luba staffs encompass many different substyles, this is undoubtedly one of the most impressive examples of Luba art. Elaborately carves staffs similar to this one are quite rare. In the United States, there are only a small number of staffs in private collections and museums.
---
RELATED WORKS
---
CITATIONS
---
IMAGES