Diviner's Rattle
Original Language TitleMunyanga
CultureLuba or Hemba peoples
Dateearly 20th century
MediumWood, gourd, and seeds
DimensionsOverall: 5 × 9 inches (12.7 × 22.86 cm)
Credit LineGift of Shirley and Barnett C. Helzberg Jr.
Object number2013.42.52
On View
Not on viewCollections
DescriptionDiviners rattle which forks into two holding two gourds on each fork, carved with heads, and at the handle, used in ritual divination.ProvenanceJoseph Henrion (1936-1983), Brussels, Belgium, 1970s [1];
With Marc Leo Félix, Brussels, Belgium, stock no. FX97796, by November 14, 1997-January 30, 1998;
Purchased from Félix by Shirley and Barnett C. Helzberg, Jr., Mission Hills, KS, January 30, 1998-2013;
Their gift to The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, 2013.
NOTES:
[1] According to dealer Marc Leo Félix, in documentation provided at the time of the object’s purchase, NAMA curatorial files. Henrion was a Belgian artist whose sculptural work was influenced by African objects.
Information about a particular artwork or image, including provenance information,
is based upon historic information and may not be currently accurate or complete.
Research on artwork and images is an ongoing process, and the information about a
particular artwork or image may not reflect the most current information available to the Museum.
If you notice a mistake or have additional information about a particular artwork or image,
please e-mail provenance@nelson-atkins.org.
