TERA Gallery - African Art and Antiquities "Altering The Way You View The World Of Art" |
Type of Object:
Ethnic Group:
Material:
- Tutsi Archer Armguard
20th c.
- This simple abstract object reflects the astonishing ability of
African sculptors to make an extraordinary form fit a simple
function. They are rarely seen in collections.
Among the Tutsi of Rwanda, chiefs and warriors wore these
huge wooden armgaurds on their wrist to protect their
wrists and arms from the bowstring after it was released.
Copper squares decorate these examples whereas those
shown worn by chiefs during the nineteenth century were
embellished with complex designs of copper inlay.
It was serviceable to prevent injury but perhaps more
important it identified the warriors and Tutsi elite in a most
obvious manner.
Ethnic Group:
- Tutsi Society
- Rwanda
Burundi
Material:
- Wood
Copper
- 3 inches Diam x 10 inches
- Roy Sieber’s AFRICAN TEXTILES AND DECORATIVE
ARTS. See p.. 150.
- Marc Ginzberg, AFRICAN FORMS p. 214 and Marc and
Denyse Ginzberg Collection in Sotheyby's, Paris, 10
september 2007, figs. 66-67
