Knife with Figurative Handle

Among the Magbetu, objects with representational imagery became popular in the late 19th century due to patronage from the royal court and from Western explorers. The court favored figurative imagery as a mark of prestige while Westerners admired the fine craftsmanship. Although figurative objects did not appear among the Mangbetu until the 1870s, figuration was long established among the neighboring Azande. In fact, it is likely that many "Mangbetu" art works were actually commissioned from Azande artists. These objects, like this knife, feature images of Mangbetu women whose elongated foreheads were considered to be highly attractive. Elite women wrapped their heads with twine and wove their hair onto conical basket structures. They also tattooed and painted their bodies. On the knife hilt, the stylized figure's large hands cover the "negbe," a bark cloth apron fashionable in the early 1900s.