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Selection of 7 Cache-Sexe made of Palm Leaf, Mangbetu People, DRC.

Offered by: Spectandum

Description
Back aprons (negbe, pl. egbe) such as these were trendy among upper-class Mangbetu women at the turn of the twentieth century. This distinctive kidney-shaped ornament pad was built up of intricately layered banana leaves. Worn on special occasions, egbe were affixed to the lower back by a girdle that would maintain a fibre extension into the hollow near the base of the spine. What an early witness to these ornaments described as "a little apron of doubtful effect" was in fact not so much meant to cover the women's buttocks but rather to echo elegantly the shape of the distinctive Mangbetu halo-shaped hairdo, an elaborate conical construction that expended at the back of the head.Banana leaves and raffia cordage

More Information

Origin:	Congo-Kinshasa
Period:	1920-1949
Materials:	Organic materials, hand carved
Condition:	Good.
Styles / Movements:	Tribal, African, Traditional
Dealer Reference #:	1318-1384
Incollect Reference #:	462912

Dimensions

W.	3.15 in;	H.	6.69 in;	D.	1.18 in;
W.	8 cm;	H.	17 cm;	D.	3 cm;

Message from Seller:

Spectandum, a by-appointment gallery in Leuven, Belgium, can be reached at contact@spectandum.com 32475648678. The gallery specializes in Natural History, Ethnography, European works of art, antiquities, and rare curiosities sourced from around the world.