Details

Title

Mother and Child Figure

Artist/Maker

Kongo Artist, Yombe Region, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, or Angola

Date

Late nineteenth–early twentieth century

Medium

Wood, brass tacks, and glass

Dimensions

12 3/4 × 4 1/4 × 4 inches

Credit

Fred and Rita Richman Collection

Accession #

2002.293

On View

On View - Stent Family Wing, Skyway, Gallery 401

This sculpture was made to be used within the context of Mpemba, an organization concerned with fertility and the treatment of infertility, founded by a famous Kongo midwife. The female figure’s studded cap, chiseled teeth, and scarification indicate her aristocratic status. Both the brass tacks and the glass eyes were imported. The light-reflecting glass was associated with an ability to see into invisible spiritual and ancestral realms.

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