Kneeling Woman Holding a Bowl (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
This kneeling figure and the adjacent royal stool are the primary emblems of a Luba king. The woman’s bowl held sacred white clay, which symbolizes unity with ancestors. This clay is for rubbing on the body during court rituals.
The visual appeal of the sculpture comes from the tension between its angular and curving lines: the severe planes of the facial features, pointed breasts, etched scarification patterns, and rigid arms and shoulders versus the rounded eyebrows, forehead, and bowl, andthe fluid lines of the torso, especially as seen from the back. The figure’s deep black color and filed teeth are references to Mbidi Kiluwe, the figure in Luba mythology responsible for introducing civilized behavior to his people.The triangular pendant suspended from the necklace is Belgian colonial currency, dated 1911.
The visual appeal of the sculpture comes from the tension between its angular and curving lines: the severe planes of the facial features, pointed breasts, etched scarification patterns, and rigid arms and shoulders versus the rounded eyebrows, forehead, and bowl, andthe fluid lines of the torso, especially as seen from the back. The figure’s deep black color and filed teeth are references to Mbidi Kiluwe, the figure in Luba mythology responsible for introducing civilized behavior to his people.The triangular pendant suspended from the necklace is Belgian colonial currency, dated 1911.
Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams Fund
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.
