Luba kings took their oaths of office while seated on a caryatid stool. In this example, as a man and woman hold the king aloft only by their fingertips they show no effort in supporting his weight. Their faces are inscrutable, with heavy lidded eyes steeped in concentration. Conceived as ageless, the couple stands in eternal faithful service of a Luba ruler.
Wood, raffia cloth, cord
22 3/8 x 10 13/16 x 12 3/8 in. (56.8 x 27.4 x 31.5 cm)
Bequest of William Edris
74.63
Not currently on view
Seattle Art Museum respectfully acknowledges that we are on Indigenous land, the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people. We honor our ongoing connection to these communities past, present, and future.
