Can a piece of furniture be a work of art? In some cultures, art is considered separate from things that are used every day. In other cultures, art is part of daily life. Look closely at the stool pictured here. How does it compare to the chairs or stools you use at home or at school? What is the same? What is different?

Stools are a common form of furniture in Africa. They are usually sturdy and easy to move around. Some are made to show the importance of the owner.

The person who carved this wooden stool included all of these things in its design. It was made by a sculptor of the Pende (pen-day) people during the 1900s. The Pende live in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa.

The sculptor has carved a buffalo to support the stool. (Buffaloes in Africa look different from the ones in the United States.) Its body is sturdy and its legs are bent to bear weight. Buffaloes represent power and authority to the Pende people. Stools that include an image of a buffalo are usually made for elders or chiefs. When the owner is away, the stool serves as a reminder of his or her influence.

While this work of art is not currently on view, you can see other artworks from Africa in the exhibition Tradition as Innovation in African Art, which is on view through November 2, 2008 on the plaza level of the Ahmanson Building.

Search Collections Online for more works of art made by the Pende peoples in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa.

Image:
Stool
Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kwilu Pende, Western Pende Peoples
20th century
Wood, height: 13 in.
Gift of Lee and Bob Bronson, AC1994.203.6
Photo © 2008 Museum Associates/LACMA