ID: 700000133 Page link: http://vocab.getty.edu/page/cona/700000133	Record Type: Movable Work
Images: 1

Headrest (headrest; Tsonga peoples ; ca. 1890; National Museum of African Art (Washington, DC, United State...; 91-14-1 )

Note: Headrest attached to an elephant with a short legged, elongated body, unusual in both its representation and large size. It derives from a Tsonga aesthetic tradition of carving headrests with animal figures. Widely used by Tsonga cattle herders before the turn of the century, headrests were typically portable and functional personal objects meant to protect elaborate hairstyles. However, the size of this headrest, the expression on the elephant's face, and the lack of signs of use suggest it might have been produced for sale to Europeans.

Titles:

Headrest (preferred,C,U,RP,English-P,U,U)

Headrest in the Shape of an Elephant (C,U,DE,English,U,U)

Catalog Level: item

Work Types:

headrest [300248658] (preferred)

..... (Objects Facet, Object Genres (hierarchy name), object genres (object classifications), <object genres by function>)

Classifications:

decorative arts (preferred)

African art

furniture

Creation Date: ca. 1890

Creator Display:

Tsonga peoples [preferred,VP]

carver unknown Tsonga (Tsonga cultural designation) [500204438]

Locations:

Current: Creation: National Museum of African Art (Washington, DC, United States) [500311458] Smithsonian Institution, Corporate Bodies (Corp. Body)

Repository Numbers: 91-14-1

Credit Line: Museum purchase

Address Note: Object is not currently on exhibit

Other: Transvaal [7016575] South Africa (nation), Africa (continent), World (facet) (Geographic)

Display Materials: carved wood

	wood (plant material) [300011914]
	.......(Materials Facet, Materials (hierarchy name), materials (substances), <materials by origin>, biological material, plant material, <wood and wood by product>)

	carving (processes) [300053149]
	.......(Activities Facet, Processes and Techniques (hierarchy name), <processes and techniques by specific type>, <subtractive processes and techniques>, <carving and carving techniques>)

Dimensions: 14.6 x 53.7 x 8.3 cm (5 3/4 x 21 1/8 x 3 1/4 inches)

Cultures:

African (preferred)

Style/Period/Group/Movement:

	Tsonga (Eastern Zambian) [300016544] (preferred,N/A)
	.....(Styles and Periods Facet, Styles and Periods (hierarchy name), <styles| periods| and cultures by region>, African (general| continental cultures), <African by cultural or regional designation>, Southern African, <Eastern Zambian| Zimbabwe| and Western Mozambique styles>)

General Subject:

utilitarian objects (preferred,isness)

Specific Subjects:

	elephant (animal) [300250160]
	.....(Agents Facet, Living Organisms (hierarchy name), living organisms (entities), Eukaryota (domain), Animalia (kingdom), Chordata (phylum), Vertebrata (subphylum), Mammalia (class), Proboscidea (order)) (AAT)

List/Hierarchical Position:

..... Movable Works

.......... Movable Works by class: decorative and utilitarian works

Sources and Contributors:
Headrest	........ [VP]
	........ National Museum of African Art [online] (1999-)
Headrest in the Shape of an Elephant	........ [VP]
	........ National Museum of African Art [online] (1999-) https://africa.si.edu/collections/view/objects/asitem/People@1581/3?t:state:flow=68e159e1-db59-4b62-b412-cc983da37c6f

Subject: ....... [VP]

Note:
English	..... [VP]
	..... National Museum of African Art [online] (1999-) acccessed 24 July 2005