Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Prestige Stool (Kipona)
Luba peoples, identified as the Master of the Warua or the Kunda
Not on view
This prestige stool and the bowl-bearer also on view in the exhibition were acquired by the Belgian colonial officer Joseph Van den Boogaerde in the Kongolo territory of Eastern Congo between 1913 and 1916. How Charles Vignier came across them remains a mystery, but by 1919 he was in possession of several works from this source and sent them to the De Zayas Gallery.
This insignia of leadership is a masterpiece of Luba art. Striking for its perfectly balanced proportions and exactingly carved features, its creator is only known to us as the Warua Master. Ten works have been attributed to this 18th century artist, including stools, bow stands, and power figures.
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