Small Carver's Adze
Luba, D.R. Congo
Iron, wood
Early 20th century

The Luba empire was founded in 1585 in the Upemba depression by King Kongolo. His nephew and successor, Kalala Ilunga, rapidly expanded the kingdom to encompass all the territories on the upper left bank of the Lualaba River. At its peak, about one million people were paying tribute to the Luba king. At the end of the 19th century, the empire weakened and collapsed when the Belgian colonials took control. 

Luba artists created numerous objects that related to the royal court activities. Prestige objects were usually decorated with female figures which are omnipresent in Luba art. As the Luba empire extends over a vast territory, there are a large number of stylistic variations. Luba artists showed their social status through the adze they carried on their shoulders (Bacquart, The Tribal Arts of Africa, 1998).

8.5 in :: 21.5 cm

InventoryID #13-1757

SOLD