Caryatid Stool

As former subjects of the Luba empire, the Hemba share similarities in carving forms and styles of chiefly caryatid stools such as this one. A common feature of both Luba-Hemba stools and headrests is a wooden platform supported by human figures. This piece is more naturalistic than the best-known stool style of the area, carved by the Master of Buli with a characteristic long face and exaggerated features. Here the face, torso, and legs are carved in descending proportions while the arms are very prominent and function as supports. Also unusual here is the depiction of both a male and female figure rather than the more common female pair. It is possible that these figures were carved to represent twins, which, like the king or queen who used the stool, embody a special connection to the ancestors. The figures also symbolize the historical tradition of kings and queens either being carried by or sitting on the backs of men and women in their service.