RARE LUBA ARROW HOLDER DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO Made of wood and glass beads H.: 48 cm (18? in.) (Restored) A rare Luba bow stand, Democratic Republic of the Congo Provenance: German colonial officer in East Africa Karl-Ferdinand Schaedler Collection (1930–2024), Munich Pierre Dartevelle (1940–2022), Brussels Jacques Massar Collection, Brussels Jean-Jacques Rotthier Collection (1932–2009), Brussels, then passed down through the family Bibliography: Schaedler (Karl-Ferdinand), *Afrikanische Kunst. Von der Frühzeit bis heute*, Munich, Heyne, 1997, p. 281, no. 190 This arrow holder is one of the insignia of the sacred Luba monarchy. It refers to the figure of Mbidi Kiluwe, a foreign prince and civilising hero to whom tradition attributes the founding of the Luba dynasty. Unlike the royal regalia intended for public appearances, arrowheads were kept in the sovereign’s private quarters. Their safekeeping was entrusted to a high-ranking female dignitary, the Kyabuta, who watched over these objects, which were hidden from public view. The female figure carved in the centre of the object illustrates the essential role of women in Luba political and spiritual life. In Luba thought, women are regarded as the principal vessels of the life force and spiritual power that ensure the prosperity and continuity of the kingdom. The elegance of the hairstyle and the delicacy of the scarification patterns convey an ideal of refinement and distinction characteristic of the Luba elite and reflect the aesthetic and moral ideals of this society. A RARE LUBA BOW STAND DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO Wood and glass beads H.: 18? in. (Restorations) Provenance: A German colonial officer in East Africa Collection of Karl-Ferdinand Schaedler (1930–2024), Munich Pierre Dartevelle (1940–2022), Brussels Collection of Jacques Massar, Brussels Collection of Jean-Jacques Rotthier (1932–2009), Brussels, then by descent Bibliography: Schaedler (Karl-Ferdinand), Afrikanische Kunst. Von der Frühzeit bis heute, Munich: Heyne, 1997, p. 281, no. 190 This bow stand is a symbol of Luba sacred kingship. It refers to the cultural hero Mbidi Kiluwe, the foreign prince credited with founding the Luba dynasty. Unlike public royal regalia, bow stands were kept within the king’s private residence. A high-ranking female dignitary, known as a Kyabuta, was entrusted with its care and safeguarded the object from public view. The female figure carved on the shaft reflects the central role of women in Luba political and spiritual life. In Luba thought, women are regarded as the principal vessels of the spiritual power that sustains the kingdom. The figure’s elaborate hairstyle and carefully rendered scarifications signify cultural refinement and noble status, embodying the aesthetic and moral ideals of Luba society.