Ovimbundu sculpture
Object type:
object to smoke and sniff > pipe
Materials:
wood, metals > iron (and alloys), bead
Legend:
The pipe shown here, due to its refinement, certainly belonged to a soma (chief/sovereign). The two figures with movable heads face each other and probably represent a chief and his wife. An illegible signature (perhaps that of the artist) is engraved on the helmet of the male figure.
Place of collecting:
Angola > Benguela
Culture:
Ovimbundu
Field collector:
Robert Verly (°1901 - †1963)
Acquisition related person:
Royal Museums for Art and History - Brussels as exchange
Date of acquisition:
1979-03-02
Dimensions:
29,3 cm x 14,1 cm x 8,8 cm
Inventory number:
EO.1979.1.244