Images(2)

Headrest (mutsago)

Artist Central or Southern Shona artist

Dateearly 20th century

MediumWood

Dimensions6 3/4 x 8 x 2 5/8 in. (17.1 x 20.3 x 6.7 cm)

ClassificationsSculpture

Credit LineGift of Mr. and Mrs. Cedric Marks

Object numberG.68.24.6

On View

On view

Label TextHeadrests support the neck of a sleeping person and protect an elaborate hairstyle. They are also markers of one’s allegiances. Terms like Tsonga and Shona, associated with cultural traditions and kingdoms, are not in fact static identities.

An individual commissioning a headrest could show his or her ties with a group through style. This headrest features a base and platform separated with an elaborate, flat geometric design composed of Vs and circles. Many variations on Shona style feature these basic components, but the multiple allegiances and stories conveyed by this work are still debated by scholars.ProvenanceMr. and Mrs. Cedric Marks, New York; given to NCMA, 1968.Exhibition HistoryRaleigh, NC, North Carolina Museum of Art, "Becoming the NCMA: 10 Decades of Collecting, 1924-2022," June 11-August 21, 2022.

Raleigh, NC, North Carolina Museum of Art, "The People's Collection, Reimagined," October 7, 2022–present. Object Rights Statement

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