Royal Seat (Lupona): Female Caryatid
19th century (?)
Medium
Wood, glass beads
Dimensions
H. 23 1/4 x W. 11 x D. 10 7/8 in. (59.1 x 27.9 x 27.6 cm)
Classification
Wood-Furniture
Culture
Luba
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Gift of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1969
Accession Number
1978.412.317
Tags
Art Historical Context
This striking *Royal Seat (Lup): Female Caryatid*, crafted by a Luba artist in the 19th century, exemplifies the masterful wood sculpture traditions of the Luba people from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Carved from wood and adorned with vibrant glass beads, the seat measures 23¼ inches tall and features a powerful female figure as its supportive base—a caryatid whose poised form bears the weight of the royal throne above. These beads, often imported trade goods, signify prestige and were reserved for objects of high status. In Luba culture, *lupona* seats were far more than furniture; the...