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| Keywords: Congolese - Elephant Tusk with Scenes of African life - Walters 71586.jpg The tusk is carved in high relief with a procession of figures in a rising spiral It is thought to have been carved by the Vili people of Loango for the French traders who dominated the area The scenes which read from the bottom show a war between two African peoples in which the defeated are roped and led away; a sailor woodworking; coconuts being picked; a trader selling gin; prisoners being led off for sale as slaves; a European lighting his cigar; fishermen carrying large fish; a procession of dignitaries; the execution of criminals; goods and ivory being brought for sale; another procession of dignitaries who salute a European in a wicker chair; the preparing of a pig and other food for a banquet; a procession; the arrest of a wrong-doer; a procession; and an execution The top is carved with a gorilla eating a banana and scratching his side The costumes suggest a mid-century date and the Africans in the procession are shown in printed European cotton textiles There are many distinctions in rank among the Africans as indicated by their costume hats and jewelry and by specific symbols for example an umbrella Other similar tusks are known the earliest of which was purchased between 1839 and 1867 by the French admiral Fleuriot de Langle between 1850 1860 ivory cm 108 22 4 10 1 accession number 71 586 10458 Tiffany Company New York date and mode of acquisition unknown Henry Walters Baltimore ca 1910 by purchase Walters Art Museum Henry Walters Acquired by Henry Walters ca 1910 Through African Eyes The European in African Art 1500-Present The Detroit Institute of Arts Detroit; The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Kansas City 2010-2011 place of origin Loango Congo Walters Art Museum license Art of the Congo Basin African ivory Collections of the Walters Art Museum Media contributed by the Walters Art Museum needs category review African export ivory Objects with black background | ||||
