Snuff Mortar and Container (tesa ya makanya)

Images(2)

Snuff Mortar and Container (tesa ya makanya)

Artist Chokwe artist

Dateearly–mid 20th century

MediumWood, brass, lead, and leather

DimensionsH. 4 1/8 x Diam. 1 3/4 in. (10.5 x 4.4 cm)

ClassificationsSculpture

Credit LineGift of Mr. and Mrs. Allen Wardwell

Object number85.8

On View

On view

Label TextChokwe artists are known for creating elegant utilitarian objects, which combine smooth, polished surfaces with areas of carved ornamentation. Brass tacks obtained through trade with Europeans are sometimes incorporated into the designs. Many types of decorated functional objects are associated with leadership, including small objects such as mortars used to grind and contain tobacco (snuff), and whistles. This snuff container would have held snuff--considered a valuable prestige good.
Provenance(Helene and Philippe Leloup/Primitive Art, New York and Paris); Mr. and Mrs. Allen Wardwell, New York.Exhibition HistoryRaleigh, NC, North Carolina Museum of Art, "The People's Collection, Reimagined," October 7, 2022–present. Object Rights Statement

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