Description
Carving of paired figures is quite well documented among the Ngbandi and its neighbors the Ngbaka-Minagende, where such sculptures are said to represent the mythical ancestor Seto and his sister-wife, Nabo. Field-based research cannot confirm the existence of figurative couples among the Ngbandi.
Provenance
Jef and René Vanderstraete, Lasne, BE, sold to René and Odette Delenne (?–1959); René [1901-1998] and Odette Delenne [1925-2012], Brussels, BE, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art (1959–2010); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (2010–)
Accession Number
2010.459
Medium
Wood, iron alloy, copper alloy, glass beads, plant fiber, and cloth
Dimensions
Part 1: 45 x 15.5 x 9.2 cm (17 11/16 x 6 1/8 x 3 5/8 in.); Part 2: 41 x 13 x 11.5 cm (16 1/8 x 5 1/8 x 4 1/2 in.)
Classification
Sculpture
Credit Line
René and Odette Delenne Collection, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund