Lot n° 306
Estimation :
1000 - 1500
EUR
Result without fees
Result
: 2 600EUR
NYAMWEZI, Tanzania. - Lot 306
NYAMWEZI, Tanzania.
Tripod seat with curved rectangular backrest, surmounted by an ancestral head with intense expression.
Hardwood, cut and studded metal, old brown patina, wear marks.
Height Height : 142 cm
Width : 40 cm
Provenance: ex Pierre Dartevelle, Brussels.
A long tradition of high-backed chieftain's seats carved from a single block of hardwood developed in East Africa, from Ethiopia to Tanzania. Reserved for dignitaries, these thrones were used for public appearances, initiation rites and audiences, affirming the legitimacy and prestige of the person sitting on them.
Among the Nyamwezi of central Tanzania, these thrones, known as kiti cha mtemi, are distinguished by their circular seat supported by three massive legs, extended by a high backrest topped by a sculpted head. A symbol of authority and lineage continuity, this type of seat inscribes the figure of the chief in a regional tradition of visual power, while testifying to the richness of cultural exchanges throughout East Africa.
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