Horn
Kuba
Late 19th-early 20th century
Medium
Wood, copper alloy, and iron
Dimensions
39.4 × 44.5 × 11.4 cm (15 1/2 × 17 1/2 × 4 1/2 in.)
Classification
drinking vessel
Department
Arts of Africa
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
88689
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Drinking horns and cups are among the many insignia that have denoted status in the highly hierarchical Kuba society since the kingdom’s foundation in the 17th century. This wooden sculpture—decorated with raised geometric and figural designs—imitates the horn of a buffalo, an animal that stands for the powerful, untamed wilderness and is therefore associated with both rulers and warriors.