Calabash
Calabash
Calabash
Calabash

Currently not on view

Calabash

possibly Ovimbundu artist
1998-553

This vessel, made from a hollowed-out gourd, probably was used to hold water, beer, or palm wine, or it may have been fashioned using traditional methods for the tourist trade. Originally, its skin was yellow but it has darkened over time to a deep red, which accentuates the pattern made with a heated blade that burned and incised the gourd’s surface.

Information

Title
Calabash
Maker
possibly Ovimbundu artist
Medium
Gourd and colorant
Dimensions
h. 34.6 cm, diam. 17.3 cm (13 5/8 x 6 13/16 in.)
Credit Line
Bequest of John B. Elliott, Class of 1951
Object Number
1998-553
Place Made

Africa, Angola

Culture
African, Ovimbundu
Type
bottles, calabashes
Materials
gourd, colorant
Techniques
incising
Subject
geometric patterns

John B. Elliott, New York, NY by 1987; Princeton University Art Museum, 1998

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The Museum regularly researches its objects and their collecting histories, updating its records to reflect new information. We also strive to catalogue works of art using language that is consistent with how people, subjects, artists, and cultures describe themselves. As this effort is ongoing, the Museum’s records may be incomplete or contain terms that are no longer acceptable. We welcome your feedback, questions, and additional information that you feel may be useful to us. Email us at collectionsinfo@princeton.edu.

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