A hand-carved Makonde chair from Tanzania. The Makonde are an ethnic group of southeast Tanzania and northern Mozambique, renowned for their woodcarving.
As with many such chairs across Tanzania, the back, seat and legs are carved from a single piece of wood in an upright style with incised detailing. This example has hands carved into the backrest and a sculpted head crowning the top.
The head represents an ancestor, who may be called upon for protection, prosperity and good fortune.
Size: 156cm H × 53cm W (backrest). Seat approx. 62 × 53cm; seat height 50cm.
