Chokwe Hand Carved Chiefs Chair

The frame owes something to Europe. The face on the back does not.

This hand carved chief's chair is Chokwe, from Angola, and dates to the 20th century. It is wood and hide. Chokwe carvers adapted the form of European chairs that arrived during the colonial period, then made it their own as a seat of authority for chiefs, adding masks and figures of their own tradition. A diamond-shaped face sits on the center splat, below a scalloped crest with more masks and incised patterns. The hide seat is lashed at each corner. Thirty inches high and 20 deep.

Other chairs merely hold you up.