id:			168724
accession number:	2010.430
share license status:	CC0
url:			https://clevelandart.org/art/2010.430
updated:		2023-08-24 00:44:43.228000

Male Figure, late 1800s-early 1900s. Africa, Central Africa, Republic of the Congo (most likely) or Democratic Republic of the Congo, Teke-style maker. Wood, resin, iron, copper, plant fiber, cloth, glass beads, coins, antelope horns, and cowrie shells; overall: 97.1 cm (38 1/4 in.); without base: 91.5 x 16 x 16.3 cm (36 x 6 5/16 x 6 7/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, René and Odette Delenne Collection, Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund 2010.430

title:				Male Figure
title in original language:	
series:				
series in original language:	
creation date:			late 1800s-early 1900s
creation date earliest:		1880
creation date latest:		1920
current location:		
creditline:			René and Odette Delenne Collection, Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund
copyright:			

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culture:	Africa, Central Africa, Republic of the Congo (most likely) or Democratic Republic of the Congo, Teke-style maker
technique:	Wood, resin, iron, copper, plant fiber, cloth, glass beads, coins, antelope horns, and cowrie shells
department:	African Art
collection:	African Art
type:		Sculpture
find spot:	
catalogue raisonne: 

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CREATORS

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measurements: Overall: 97.1 cm (38 1/4 in.); without base: 91.5 x 16 x 16.3 cm (36 x 6 5/16 x 6 7/16 in.)
state of the work:	
edition of the work: 	

support materials:


inscriptions:

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CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

	title:		Fragments of the Invisible: The Rene and Odette Delenne Collection of Congo Sculpture
	opening date:   2013-10-27T00:00:00
	<i>Fragments of the Invisible: The Rene and Odette Delenne Collection of Congo Sculpture</i>. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 27, 2013-February 9, 2014).

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LEGACY EXHIBITIONS

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PROVENANCE

	French missionary (possibly of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit), before 1914, collected from Ubangi region, Democratic Republic of Congo.
	date: ?-1914
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


	(Unidentified art dealer, Nice, FR, 1961, sold to René and Odette Delenne)
	date: ?-1961
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


	René [1901-1998] and Odette Delenne [1925-2012], Brussels, BE, 2010, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art
	date: 1961-2010
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


	The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH, 2010
	date: 2010
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


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fun fact:
The coins on the figure’s hat were those used in the Belgian Congo.

digital description:
This exceptionally large Teke figure is well preserved and holds a medicine package partly buried in an abdominal cavity. Its size suggests that it stood at the service of a larger group of people and that its powers extended beyond the limits of a village. Its scarification marks and beard identify it as representing a chief or another dignitary.

wall description:
Comparatively speaking, this exceptionally large Teke figure is well preserved: not only does it carry many of its original accouterments and accessories, as well as a crusty and seemingly untouched patina, it also holds a medicine package partly buried in an abdominal cavity. The parcel indicates that the sculpture belonged to the broad and widespread category of power figures labeled by the generic name <em>buti</em>. The figure's size suggests that it stood at the service of a larger group of people and that its powers extended beyond the limits of a village. Its headdress—decorated with coins from the former Belgian Congo under the rule of King Albert I—scarification marks, and beard identify it as representing a chief or another dignitary.
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RELATED WORKS

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CITATIONS

	Lehuard, Raoul. <em>Les Arts Bateke</em>. Arnouville, FR: Arts d'Afrique Noire, 1996, fig. 85.1.1.
	page number: 	Reproduced and mentioned: p. 340, fig. 85.1.1
	url:		

	Petridis, Constantine, et al. <em>Fragments of the Invisible</em>: <em>The René and Odette Delenne Collection of Congo Sculpture.</em> Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art. Milan: 5 Continents Editions, 2013, 34.
	page number: 	Reproduced: p. 37; mentioned: p. 112, cat. 4
	url:		

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IMAGES

web:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2010.430/2010.430_web.jpg
print:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2010.430/2010.430_print.jpg
full:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2010.430/2010.430_full.tif