Kuba Cup - Lot 25

Kuba Cup Democratic Republic of the Congo Wood with brown and black patina H. 20 cm Kuba cup, Democratic Republic of the Congo H. 7 7/8 in The Kuba are considered one of Africa's most prolific groups. Made famous by their masks, statuettes and "Kasai velvet", Kuba art developed mainly around the figure of the king. Symbolizing magnificent technical skill and endowed with a great variety of forms, these works immediately fascinated Westerners. Anthropomorphic bowls were emblems of power and wealth, reserved for the use of Kuba chiefs and notables. For the artists in the royal workshops, they were veritable exercises in virtuosity, marking the ongoing competition for prestige between both the artists and their patrons. This very fine bowl shows genuine decorative refinement in the workmanship of the facial features and scarification marks. The face is imbued with an expression of authority, combined with great interiority.