cma-african-art: Male Figure of a Pair, late 1800s-early 1900s, Cleveland Museum of Art: African Art
cma-african-art: Male Figure of a Pair, late 1800s-early 1900s, Cleveland Museum of Art: African ArtAlthough this pair has been attributed to the Ngbandi, many of the style characteristics identified as typical of that culture are in fact shared with its neighbors the Ngbaka-Minagende, among others. Carving of paired figures is quite well documented among the Ngbaka-Minagende, where such sculptures are said to represent the mythical ancestor Seto and his sister-wife, Nabo. But field-based research cannot confirm the existence of figurative couples among the Ngbandi. Were all such Ngbandi-style couples created by Ngbandi artists for a neighboring Ngbaka-Minagende community or another Ubangi group? Or do they instead refer to a more localized tradition that was never documented by foreign observers?Size: Overall: 45 x 15.5 x 9.2 cm (17 11/16 x 6 1/8 x 3 5/8 in.)Medium: wood, copper, glass beads, iron, fabrichttps://clevelandart.org/art/2010.459.1 -- source link
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