1969.S.168 Ceremonial adze with head and torso

On ceremonial occasions, a Pende chief carried an adze—like this one—over his shoulder. It is not an ordinary tool used to sculpt wood but an ornate version of the conventional model. This ceremonial adze features a head carved at the top of the handle.

Imported European brass upholstery tacks, considered luxury goods and kept to a high shine, adorn the figure’s head or skullcap. Both the hairstyle and scarification marks on the cheeks are found on Pende masks with visual references to both leadership and hunting, which is an important activity displaying bravery and skill. A very long iron blade issues from the figure’s mouth. At the back on the handle, a female bust carved in full relief is positioned upside down. When viewed in profile, the small skull-like head appears to be an exaggerated depiction of the head at the top of the adze.

n.d.: Stillman Collection, New York

1969: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, gift of Eugene and Margaret McDermott, purchased from above [1]

Notes:

The main source for this provenance is the object record card in the Collections Records object file.

[1] The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Art, founded in 1933, was changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.

Apply to objects where number equals 1969.S.168