Beschreibung:

height 14 1/4in; width 11 5/8in finely carved with distinct facial similarities between the mother and child. According to Roberts & Roberts (1996, page 154), "Stools are among the most important symbols of Luba kingship, as they are for many African peoples. Not only is the Luba king's palace referred to as a "seat of power", but seating is a metaphor for the many levels and layers of hierarchy that characterize Luba royal prerogatives. During initiation rites into Mbudy, the secret association responsible for indoctrination of all royal officholders, rank and title are indicated by the progressive accession to more prestigious forms of seating, beginning with the simple woven mats and proceeding to animal pelts, clay thrones adorned with geometric and figurative ideograms, and finally to sculpted wooden stools or thrones that are the prerogative of kings and royal spirit mediums."