**Originally Listed At $400**

Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kuba peoples, ca. mid-20th century CE. A fascinating carved-wood cup in the form of the head of a royal. Sitting upon a circular base, the curious visage presents a pair of huge, almond-shaped eyes under an arched brow, a broad nose, a petite mouth, prominent nasolabial folds, and a pointed chin, all flanked by a pair of naturalistic ears. Incised, lattice-patterned hair crowns the hollow head, topped by a geometric motif headdress that opens to the rim of the vessel. The lovely goblet is also fit with a curved, figural handle in the form of a bare-chested female that stretches from the back of the head to the base. Size: 3.7" W x 5.2" H (9.4 cm x 13.2 cm)

The Kuba kingdom was founded in the early seventeenth century and consisted of an elaborate, merit-based system of courtly titles in which positions of power were awarded rather than inherited. Due to this, aristocratic members of the Kuba kingdom frequently commissioned refined personal accessories, such as this example, to display their achievements. Anthropomorphic cups like this one would have been used by the elite to demonstrate their wealth and generosity by distributing large quantities of palm wine to their friends and associates. This wonderful vessel exhibits several traditional Kuba characteristics, such as a closed mouth reflecting the belief that thought should precede speech, raised cicatrizes on the temples representing cultural refinement, and a shaved hairline that frames the forehead, which was believed to be the seat of wisdom and insight.

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-Lynn Rosen collection, New York, USA

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#177812

Light surface wear as shown, but otherwise intact and excellent with nice preservation of incised detail.