id:			311742
accession number:	2018.27
share license status:	CC0
url:			https://clevelandart.org/art/2018.27
updated:		2022-03-22 09:00:37.038000

Bow Stand, 1800s. Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Luba-style carver. Wood and plant fiber; without base: 57.9 x 23 x 10 cm (22 13/16 x 9 1/16 x 3 15/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund 2018.27

title:				Bow Stand
title in original language:	
series:				
series in original language:	
creation date:			1800s
creation date earliest:		1800
creation date latest:		1899
current location:		108A Sub-Saharan
creditline:			Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund
copyright:			

---

culture:	Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Luba-style carver
technique:	Wood and plant fiber
department:	African Art
collection:	African Art
type:		Sculpture
find spot:	
catalogue raisonne: 

---

CREATORS

---

measurements: without base: 57.9 x 23 x 10 cm (22 13/16 x 9 1/16 x 3 15/16 in.)
state of the work:	
edition of the work: 	

support materials:


inscriptions:

---

CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

	title:		African art rotation
	opening date:   2019-02-20T05:00:00
	<i>African art rotation</i>. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer).

---

LEGACY EXHIBITIONS

---

PROVENANCE

	(Jacaranda LLC, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
	date: –2018
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


	The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
	date: 2018–
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


---

fun fact: 


digital description: 
A powerful symbol of the Luba king, bow stands were ceremonial objects that resided within the king’s private vicinity in the palace and were never displayed in public. Typically, bow stands depict a female figure, but the sculptor has carved a figure with ambiguously gendered human traits. This is a symbolic depiction that may allude to how divine rulers (<em>mulopwe</em>) were believed to have both “male” and “female” character traits, which allowed this sculpture to act as a vessel for spirits of any gender.

wall description: 
A powerful symbol of the Luba king, bow stands were ceremonial objects that resided within the king’s private vicinity in the palace and were never displayed in public. Typically, bow stands depict a female figure, but the sculptor has carved a figure with ambiguously gendered human traits. This is a symbolic depiction that may allude to how divine rulers (<em>mulopwe</em>) were believed to have both “male” and “female” character traits, which allowed this sculpture to act as a vessel for spirits of any gender.
---

RELATED WORKS

---

CITATIONS

---

IMAGES

web:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2018.27/2018.27_web.jpg
print:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2018.27/2018.27_print.jpg
full:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2018.27/2018.27_full.tif