Chokwe King Statue Rohner Collection

This Chokwe king statue is a striking example of the highly refined figural sculpture associated with the Chokwe peoples of Central Angola. The figure depicts a seated or standing royal male, rendered with the elongated proportions, carefully modeled facial features, and detailed carving characteristic of Chokwe sculptural traditions. Royal and ancestral figures held an important place within Chokwe culture and were often connected to ideas of leadership, ancestry, and political authority.

The Chokwe trace their history to the old Lunda Empire and were established in central Angola by the 17th century. Over the centuries, colonialism, warfare, disease, and famine contributed to the fragmentation and migration of Chokwe communities throughout Angola and neighboring regions. Chokwe artistic traditions are closely related to those of neighboring Lwena, Songo, and Ovimbundu peoples, with sculpture, masks, musical instruments, and other objects reflecting a rich shared cultural heritage.

Provenance: John R. Rohner Collection
Rohner, a museum curator for decades, aimed his practiced eye for authenticity to African art beginning in the early 1980s. His passion for this art only grew through the decades he built his collection––always with an aim for a broad and representative array of pieces. The collection appears in his book, Art Treasures from African Runners (2000, University Press of Colorado). 

Shows surface scratches, scuffs, and areas of wear consistent with age and handling. Minor wear is present around raised areas. No large damage or major repairs are visible. See pictures for more details.

Item #228 on pg. 139

Height (In): 15.0
Width (In): 4.5
Depth (In): 4

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