Bottle

Object Details

Kongo artist

Label Text

African potters--primarily women--handbuild a variety of vessels that they embellish with beautiful colors, designs and motifs before firing them at low temperatures. Containers made for daily use hold water or serve as cooking utensils. They also make vessels to be used in special ceremonies or that become part of an assemblage of objects placed in a shrine.

This bottle is unusual because it has three cone-shaped feet. It was probably meant to sit on a level surface and might have been a water container. The incised motifs on the shoulder are similar to those found on other Kongo objects.

Description

Buff colored globular shaped vessel with a short neck on three small feet. The surface is covered with two sets of incised parallel lines framing a double set of parallel lines that interlock with one another.

Provenance

R. L. Wannyn collection, Belgium, before 1930

Exhibition History

Purpose and Perfection: Pottery as a Woman's Art in Central Africa, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 15, 1992-June 15, 1997

Content Statement

As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.

Image Requests

High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/

Credit Line

Purchased with funds provided by the Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program

Early 20th century

Object number

89-13-32

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

Ceramics

Medium

Ceramic

Dimensions

H x W x D: 22.0 x 18.4 x 18.4 cm (8 11/16 x 7 1/4 x 7 1/4 in.)

Geography

Democratic Republic of the Congo

See more items in

National Museum of African Art Collection

National Museum of African Art

Topic

male

Record ID

nmafa_89-13-32

Metadata Usage (text)

Usage conditions apply

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7fd6daa3b-d4ca-41c8-b666-ffbf8edd387b