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Catalog Data

Maker:
Teke artist  Search this
Medium:
Ceramic, slip
Dimensions:
H x W x D: 27.5 x 17.5 x 17.5 cm (10 13/16 x 6 7/8 x 6 7/8 in.)
Type:
Ceramics
Geography:
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Congo
Date:
Early 20th century
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.
Teke pottery is noted for its subtle cream-colored clay body with brilliant colored slip lines and bands in bold geometric designs. The globular shape and long neck are typical Teke forms. They were sold in local markets and were used to hold water.
Description:
Red and buff colored vessel with a burnished bulbous body and long neck. The entire surface is highly burnished and covered with bands of red colored pigment. A large area of carbon deposits is evident on one side.
Provenance:
Walshaert collection, Antwerp, before 1930
Exhibition History:
Ceramics at the National Museum of African Art 3rd level Pots, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., January 8, 1998 to the present
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
Published References:
Sieber, Roy. 1997. Purpose and Perfection: Pottery as a Woman's Art in Central Africa. Exhibition booklet. Washington, D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution.
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 Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks.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/
Topic:
male  Search this
Credit Line:
Purchased with funds provided by the Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program
Object number:
89-13-62
Restrictions & Rights:
Usage conditions apply
See more items in:
National Museum of African Art Collection
Data Source:
National Museum of African Art
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7d9afc8ec-a6b0-443a-b138-2eb811a2e286
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmafa_89-13-62