Engraved horn ·  D. R. Congo, Mangbetu · ID: 3035229

Description

ivory, shiny patina, the corpus decorated with engraved motifs, depicting various scenes concerning social life, accentuated by black pigment which is rubbed into the deepenings, crowned by a female figure with tribe-typical head form, min. dam., fine cracks, rest. (breakage at the head);
the engravings on the trumpet were likely made by a Zande artist called “Saza”. Some works of his hands are known in Western Collections. His work can be dated around 1900.
This kind of trumpet was played at the court and represented royal power and presence. The trumpets were played when the king and his wife performed a dance called “mabolo”. Furtheron they announced the king’s victories.

Comparing literature

Burssens, Herman, Mangbetu, Afrikaanse hofkunst uit Belgische privé-verzamlingen, Brüssel 1992, p. 82 f.