Mongo Wicker Shield Congo Sidley Collection

A wonderful 48-inch wicker shield with painted geometric motifs in white, red, and blue.

Originally designed as practical tools for protection, shields evolved beyond their utilitarian origins to become stunning pieces of artistry. Although primarily crafted for battle and serving as symbols of martial rites, shields also grew to embody ornamental grandeur, communicating status and prowess through their elaborate designs. Beyond the battlefield, shields adorned ceremonial events like feast days, ritual dances, and parades. This dual purpose led to shields being displayed more often as decorative items in halls, private collections, and museums than being used in actual combat. 

Mongo refers to a collective term for several ethnic groups inhabiting the equatorial forests of Africa, located south of the main bend of the Congo River and north of the Kasai and Sankuru Rivers in the Congo (Kinshasa). This group includes various ethnic communities such as the Bokote, Ekonda, Bolia, Sengele, Ntomba, Ndengese, Songomeno, Mbole, Bongandu, Boyela, Nkutu, and Tetela-Kusu.

Provenance: Niña Sidley Collection

After a long career in publishing, Niña Sidley returned to her first love: collecting the art, artifacts, and textiles of the world’s indigenous peoples. Part of her mission has been to educate others and to honor the extraordinary creativity, ingenuity, and heartfelt messages these handmade works send from their makers. Niña believes this deep respect for tradition and beauty inspires and ties all of us together as one world.

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