Prestige Basket Kongo peoples (Lower Congo/Cabinda/Angola) Late 19th century Raffia, twining technique Height 5 inches (12.5 cm) Diameter 5.5 inches (13.5 cm) Provenance: Ambre-Congo Gallery, Brussels This rare basket is similar to the types of prestige containers from the Kongo kingdom that began to appear in the early European curiosity cabinets begining in the early 17th century, initially as part of diplomatic exchanges. The geometric patterns and symbols are foundational to the Congo design traditions. Reference: A very similar basket inventoried in 1897 in the collection of the Museu de Ciencia, Coimbra, Portugal and published in Alisa La Gamma, Kongo: Power and Majesty, (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2015); page 62, fig. 27. Price on request
