TCHOKWE, Democratic Republic of Congo - Lot 406

TCHOKWE, Democratic Republic of Congo Dignitary chair with Cihongo masks hardwood, goatskin, old brown patina and wear mark Height 27 × 84 cm Note : The Tchokwe, a people settled between the south of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the north of Angola, developed a sculptural production linked to figures of power and initiation societies. The Cihongo masks featured here on the back and sides are associated with wealth, authority and legitimization of status. Their multiplication on this chair reinforces its function as a seat of prestige. The frontal female figure, in an exhibition posture, refers to themes of fecundity and continuity, while the male figure on the reverse, with outstretched arms, evokes an active and protective power. Together, they form a coherent iconographic program, in which the seat becomes a medium for representing power, articulating wealth, fertility and authority in a language specific to the Tchokwe.