Description

Anthropomorphic jug decorated with incised geometric motifs and spout in the shape of a head with elongated hairdo reflecting the typical hair adornment of ruling class Momvu women. Jugs such as these were produced by artists associated with the royal court between the 1910s and the 1930s as diplomatic gifts for European travellers who seemed to favour anthropomorphic containers over the more abstract geometric vessels usually produced for local use. The production of Momvu anthropomorphic jugs decreased after the 1930s with the shift in political relations between local kings and outsiders.