id:			168744
accession number:	2010.449
share license status:	CC0
url:			https://clevelandart.org/art/2010.449
updated:		2022-09-10 11:46:20.564000

Female Figurine, late 1800s–early 1900s. Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo (most likely), Cabinda, or Republic of the Congo, probably Yombe-style maker. Ivory; overall: 12 x 2.5 x 4.5 cm (4 3/4 x 1 x 1 3/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, René and Odette Delenne Collection, Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund 2010.449

title:				Female Figurine
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, Democratic Republic of Congo (most likely), Cabinda, or Republic of the Congo, probably Yombe-style maker
technique:	Ivory
department:	African Art
collection:	African Art
type:		Sculpture
find spot:	
catalogue raisonne: 

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CREATORS

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measurements: Overall: 12 x 2.5 x 4.5 cm (4 3/4 x 1 x 1 3/4 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 (organizer) (October 27, 2013-February 9, 2014).

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LEGACY EXHIBITIONS

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PROVENANCE

	(René De Wolf, Brussels, BE, before 1972, sold to René and Odette Delenne)
	date: ?-1972
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


	René [1901-1998] and Odette Delenne [1925-2012], Brussels, BE, 2010, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art
	date: 1972-2010
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


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


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fun fact: 
This object is believed to be a portion of a spoon or a spatula. The position of the prisoner is believed to be a sacrificial victim.

digital description: 
This female figurine may be a fragment of a spoon or spatula, but is not confirmed. Iconography of the human image is common in the art of Kongo-speaking peoples, however, this object’s function or purpose is unknown. The position of the arms has been interpreted as that of a bound prisoner while the positioning of the head represents a broken neck or severed head, thus identifying as a sacrificial victim.

wall description: 
This female figurine may be a fragment of a spoon or spatula, but this claim cannot be confirmed. Although the iconography of the human image is not uncommon in the art of the Yombe and related Kongo-speaking peoples, it does not reveal the object's function or purpose. The position of the arms has been interpreted as that of a bound prisoner while the head, tilted horizontally or at an angle, represents a broken neck or even a severed head, thus identifying the prisoner as a sacrificial victim. Yet, despite the large quantity of Yombe- and Kongo-attributed works in collections, as well as the vast body of literature on the subject, their culture, history, and art, many questions remain unanswered and our knowledge continues to be fragmented and superficial.
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RELATED WORKS

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CITATIONS

	Petridis, Constantine, et al. <em>Fragments of the Invisible: The René and Odette Delenne Collection of Congo Sculpture.</em> Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art. Milan: 5 Continents Editions, 2013, 44, 112.
	page number: 	Reproduced: p. 44; mentioned: p. 112, cat. 8
	url:		

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IMAGES

web:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2010.449/2010.449_web.jpg
print:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2010.449/2010.449_print.jpg
full:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2010.449/2010.449_full.tif