Figurine

Museum number:
5-1559
Permalink:
ark:/21549/hm21050001559
Accession number:
Acc.1302
Description:
Carved wooden figurine, Suku “fetish;” Northeast Basuku. Height 38.72 cm. 5-1559-62 were carved by the same men as 5-1550. Figurines are viewed definitely as bad carving by the Suku. They were carved on order by collector, and each is not identified with specific mukisi name. Informants said that such figurines could be used, if necessary, with any mukisi, but only when no good carving was available in short, as a last resort. If at all possible, a better carving would be substituted later. Contemporary.
Donor:
Igor Kopytoff and University Appropriation
Collection place:
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Verbatim coll. place:
Africa, Suku
Culture or time period:
Suku
Materials:
Wood (plant material)
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Fetishes and Figurines
Function:
5.7 Objects made for sale, souvenirs, models, and reproductions
Accession date:
1960
Department:
Africa (except Ancient Egypt)
Images:
Hearst Museum object 1 of 3 titled Figurine, accession number 5-1559, described as Carved wooden figurine, Suku “fetish;” Northeast Basuku. Height 38.72 cm. 5-1559-62 were carved by the same men as 5-1550. Figurines are viewed definitely as bad carving by the Suku. They were carved on order by collector, and each is not identified with specific mukisi name. Informants said that such figurines could be used, if necessary, with any mukisi, but only when no good carving was available in short, as a last resort. If at all possible, a better carving would be substituted later. Contemporary.Hearst Museum object 2 of 3 titled Figurine, accession number 5-1559, described as Carved wooden figurine, Suku “fetish;” Northeast Basuku. Height 38.72 cm. 5-1559-62 were carved by the same men as 5-1550. Figurines are viewed definitely as bad carving by the Suku. They were carved on order by collector, and each is not identified with specific mukisi name. Informants said that such figurines could be used, if necessary, with any mukisi, but only when no good carving was available in short, as a last resort. If at all possible, a better carving would be substituted later. Contemporary.Hearst Museum object 3 of 3 titled Figurine, accession number 5-1559, described as Carved wooden figurine, Suku “fetish;” Northeast Basuku. Height 38.72 cm. 5-1559-62 were carved by the same men as 5-1550. Figurines are viewed definitely as bad carving by the Suku. They were carved on order by collector, and each is not identified with specific mukisi name. Informants said that such figurines could be used, if necessary, with any mukisi, but only when no good carving was available in short, as a last resort. If at all possible, a better carving would be substituted later. Contemporary.
Legacy documentation:
Documentation associated with Hearst Museum object titled Figurine, accession number 5-1559, described as Carved wooden figurine, Suku “fetish;” Northeast Basuku. Height 38.72 cm. 5-1559-62 were carved by the same men as 5-1550. Figurines are viewed definitely as bad carving by the Suku. They were carved on order by collector, and each is not identified with specific mukisi name. Informants said that such figurines could be used, if necessary, with any mukisi, but only when no good carving was available in short, as a last resort. If at all possible, a better carving would be substituted later. Contemporary.Documentation associated with Hearst Museum object titled Figurine, accession number 5-1559, described as Carved wooden figurine, Suku “fetish;” Northeast Basuku. Height 38.72 cm. 5-1559-62 were carved by the same men as 5-1550. Figurines are viewed definitely as bad carving by the Suku. They were carved on order by collector, and each is not identified with specific mukisi name. Informants said that such figurines could be used, if necessary, with any mukisi, but only when no good carving was available in short, as a last resort. If at all possible, a better carving would be substituted later. Contemporary.

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