late 1800s-early 1900s
Wood, ceramic or Formica, copper alloy, and iron alloy
Overall: 47.5 x 14.8 x 16.3 cm (18 11/16 x 5 13/16 x 6 7/16 in.)
René and Odette Delenne Collection, Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund 2010.428
This figure is considered “monumental” as most other types of Beembe figures measure about 15 centimeters tall.
This sculpture played a role in ancestral worship among the Beembe people. Ancestors are held in high regard among the Beembe, and this figure is thought to represent an idealized form of a deceased individual within the ethnic group. The object is one of only two seated male Beembe figures of this size in Western institutions.
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