Cap

Description

Cap of finely woven pineapple fibre decorated with leopard claws, which symbolize authority: Central Africa, Congo, Kongo people, 18th century

Museum reference

A.1956.1153

Collection

World Culture

Object name

Cap

Production information

Congo, Central Africa

Date

18th century

Style / Culture

Kongo

Materials

Pineapple fibre, Leopard claw

Physical description

Finely woven pineapple fibre decorated with leopard claws

Associations

Society of Antiquaries of Scotland

Exhibitions

• Power and Majesty: The Art of Kongo Masters (16 Sep 2015 - 03 Jan 2016)
  Metropolitan Museum of Art

• Colours of Africa

References

La Gamma, Alisa, Kongo Art and Majesty, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York , Yale University Press, New Haven and London 2015 p.159. 'Fig. 106. Prestige Cap (Mpu). Kongo Peoples: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo or Angola, 17-18th century, inventoried 1796. Raffia or pineapple fibre, leopard claws, H. 10 in. (25.5 cm), Diam. 6 ½ in. (16.5 cm) National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh (1956.1153) (Exhib.)'