Collection record · Objects & craft
Headpiece (nlo-o-ngo)
The collection record classifies this work as garment. It is dated early 1900s. Recorded culture or place: Africa, Central Africa, Gabon, Fang style, unknown maker.
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A closer look at the details.
- Museum title
- Headpiece (nlo-o-ngo)
- Date
- early 1900s
- Culture / origin
- Africa, Central Africa, Gabon, Fang style, unknown maker
- Materials and technique
- Plant fibers, cloth, hair, cowrie shells, buttons, upholstery studs, and thread
- Dimensions
- Overall: 15.2 x 17.8 x 20.3 cm (6 x 7 x 8 in.)
- Artist / maker
- Not specified by the museum
- Museum
- The Cleveland Museum of Art
- Accession number
- 1976.1057
FROM THE MUSEUM
In the museum’s words
The following description is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art’s original English record.
This headpiece (nlo-o-ngo) was made to look like a similarly shaped hairstyle. While the coiffure gained height from inserts tucked under the hair, here the underlying basket was woven into a central ridge. Plant fibers were woven or braided to mimic hairstyling techniques. Rarely removed, the hat gave the appearance of elaborately styled and decorated hair. Three rows of cowries around the band evoke a shell or bead headband, while the metal furniture tacks are the same as would have been inserted into the hair. Existing in many styles, men or women wore these wiglike headdresses to signify status, group identity, or social roles.
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Text and image sources
The Cleveland Museum of Art · The Harold T. Clark Educational Extension Fund · CC0
The summary is based on public collection data. Refer to the museum’s latest record for the title, date and attribution.
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