Mangbetu Figural Ceremonial Vessel

He sits astride the pot, chin in both hands, thinking it over.

This figural ceremonial vessel is Mangbetu, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is terra cotta. Mangbetu potters are generally credited with bringing the human figure into pottery in a way their neighbors rarely did, and the fanned coiffure echoes the region's celebrated hairstyles. A seated figure straddles the round body, legs running down its sides to small, carefully toed feet. His long arms loop outward and come back so both hands cup the chin. A tall crest crowns the head. It is 13.5 inches high and 8 in diameter.

Nobody has ever looked this thoughtful while sitting on a pot.