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Staff of Office
early to mid-1800s
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland, United States
Sanctified by a ritual specialist and enhanced with medicinal substances, the staff possessed supernatural qualities and was endowed with healing power. Luba staffs are among the most important regalia of Luba kings. The metal point alludes to the kingdom's stability and durability. Each staff has its own distinctive iconography to reflect regional styles. As Chief Msidi (former owner of this staff) ruled over the Yeke kingdom (and not the Luba kingdom), it begs the question of how he acquired this symbol of another realm's power.
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Details
- Title: Staff of Office
- Date Created: early to mid-1800s
- Physical Dimensions: Overall: 170 x 13.3 cm (66 15/16 x 5 1/4 in.)
- Provenance: Chief Msidi (c. 1830–1891), Yeke (Garanzange) Kingdom (present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo), 1888, given to British missionary Frederick Stanley Arnot., Frederick Stanley Arnot [1858-1914], probably Glasgow, Scotland, 1914, by descent to his son Dr. Arthur B. Arnot., Dr. Arthur B. Arnot, New York, NY, 1987, consigned for auction at Sotheby’s., (Sotheby’s, Important Tribal Art, New York, NY, Nov. 10, 1987, Lot #79, sold to Philippe and Hélène Leloup for George Feher), George Feher, New York, NY, 1990s, acquired by Morris Pinto, Morris Pinto, New York, NY, 1996, acquired by Philippe and Hélène Leloup, Philippe and Hélène Leloup, Paris, France, 2004, donated to Marie Victoire Koch, Marie Victoire Koch, Saint Mandé, France, 2004, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- Type: Sculpture
- Rights: CC0
- External Link: https://clevelandart.org/art/2004.85
- Medium: Wood and iron
- Fun Fact: The Yeke kingdom ruler Chief Msidi gave this as a gift of appreciation to the British missionary Frederick Stanley Arnot, whom the chief had invited to his kingdom.
- Department: African Art
- Culture: Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Luba
- Credit Line: John L. Severance Fund
- Collection: African Art
- Accession Number: 2004.85
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