A fine Luba Shankadi stool
Age: First half XXth. century
H= 39 cm
Despite their functional form, royal stools are never used for sitting but, rather, are sacred prestige insignia preserved within a king's palace.
They serve as metaphorical, not literal, seats of kingship. Those incorporating female caryatids give expression to the Luba conception of the female body as a spiritual receptacle that supports divine kingship. Its purpose was to serve as a receptacle for the king's spirit rather than as a functional object (Roberts and Roberts 1996: 354-355)
Typical Luba scarification's in relief. three metal nails on the lower base
Provenance: Gaethan Schoonbroodt collection Vervier.
Condition: some cracks in the wood some restorations, one finger restored, back of the coiffure restored, some erosion on one feet., crack on top and base ( see images).
- Object
- Prestige Stool
- Indigenous object name
- Shankadi
- Ethnic group/ culture
- Luba
- Region/ country
- Congo DRC
- Material
- Wood
- Period
- 1st half 20th century
- Condition
- Fair
- Sold with stand
- No
- Dimensions
- 39×27×25 cm