Bamenda Wood Bed: Eight Figures on Sides | Crouching Leopard

A leopard crouches at the head of the bed, and eight figures hold the frame up below.

This bed with eight figures on the sides and a crouching leopard is Bamenda, from Cameroon, Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is wood. In the Cameroon Grassfields, carved beds and stools with figures and leopards are generally associated with chiefs and titled people, the leopard being a widely used emblem of royal power. Along the side, an openwork row of figures stands with arms raised to support the top rail. The leopard lies along one end, its spotted back and paws carved in relief. It is 74 inches wide and 17 high.

The leopard has taken the pillow end, naturally.