TSCHOKWE ZOMBO Caryatid

Provenance
Galerie Bernard Dulon, Paris, France.
Lucas Ratton, Paris, France.

Description
This Tchokwe or Zombo caryatid seat is an attribute of prestige, as it is common in some Congolese societies. It belonged to a chief or a sorceres, two positions of high rank in these societies.

The male character represented is sitting on a base and supports the seat with his head and hands. His legs, as his bulging belly are adorned with upholstery nails, valued for their rarity in Congo, thus being concidered as objects of prestige.
The base and the seat show indigenous repairs, testifying of the ritual significance of this object, repaired, rather than discarted.

The beautiful dark patina of the object reflects its use and shows its age.