Accession Number
1985/1.141

Title
Box

Artist(s)
Kuba

Artist Nationality
Kuba (Democratic Republic of Congo style)

Object Creation Date
late 19th century

Medium & Support
wood and tukula powder

Dimensions
7 1/2 in x 3 7/16 in x 2 1/4 in (19 cm x 8.8 cm x 5.7 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Al and Margaret Coudron

Subject matter
Kuba boxes served several purposes. Ornately decorated boxes were created as a form of competition among titled court members. Also, they were often used to hold objects such as razors for cutting raffia, personal care objects such as hairpins, as well as various ritual objects and medicinal substances.

This box is covered in tukula powder called tool or twool. Made from ground camwood, tukula is used abundantly on Kuba carvings. It was also smeared on clothing and used in times of mourning. Boxes were often used to hold tukula powder.

This box was likely made for someone of the royal family or court, perhaps even the King himself. The use of the double-knot motif, which was reserved for old families, supports this thesis.

References:
Daniel Biebuyck, The Arts of Zaire, 1985
Georges Meurant, African Textiles from the Kingdom of Kuba, 1986
Roy Sieber, African Textiles and Decorative Arts, 1972
Jan Vansina, The Children of Woot, 1978

Physical Description
A wood box of semi-circular form, with a stylized form of a human face incised on the lid. The sides of the box, and around the face, are incised with geometric motifs, and two small holes are pierced in the lid and front of the box to fasten. The sides of the box are also covered with red powder. 

Primary Object Classification
Wood and Woodcarving

Primary Object Type
box

Collection Area
African

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
camwood (wood)
crescents (motifs)
face
prestige
royalty (nobility)