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Bust of an Aruwimi Native

Bust of an Aruwimi Native is a work by English sculptor Herbert Ward (1863–1919), now preserved at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. The bust depicts a man from the Aruwimi region and was sculpted from one of Ward’s own drawings made while he served as an officer in Henry Morton Stanley’s expedition in Central Africa. During the expedition, Ward stayed for 14 months in Yambuya, on the banks of the Lohale, or Aruwimi, River, a tributary of the Congo. After returning to England, he later published illustrated books that included photographs of places visited, people, his cabin interior, and sculptures he had made in Africa or after sketches brought back from there.

Dark metallic bust of an Aruwimi native with textured hair, a prominent nose, and an earring on a square base.
Bust of an Aruwimi Native, shown as a dark metallic sculpture on a square base.
November 2015 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dark bust of an Aruwimi Native with raised patterns on the forehead and scalp, mounted on a simple pedestal.
Bust of an Aruwimi Native showing patterned head details and a simple pedestal mount.
1910 © · No restrictions
Dark bronze bust of an Aruwimi native with detailed hair or head markings against a red background.
Bust of an Aruwimi native, shown here as a dark bronze sculpture against a red backdrop.
November 2017 © · Public domain

Identification

TitleBust of an Aruwimi native
Alternative titleUn indigène Aruwimi - Souvenir de voyage (expédition Stanley)
TypeBust
SubjectAn Aruwimi native
Original titleUn indigène Aruwimi

Creator

ArtistHerbert Ward
Artist nationalityEnglish
Artist lifespan1863–1919
Artist professionEnglish Africanist, illustrator, and explorer

Creation context

Based onOne of Ward's drawings made while he was serving as an officer in Henry Morton Stanley's Central African expedition

Historical context

Associated placeYambuya, on the banks of the Aruwimi River
Geographic contextThe Aruwimi River is a tributary of the Congo River in the present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo
Creation contextWard made the source drawing while stationed for 14 months at Yambuya, on the banks of the Aruwimi (Lohale) River, in 1884–1885, in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Related expeditionHenry Morton Stanley's expedition to Central Africa

Discovery and provenance

PublicationA voice from the Congo: comprising stories, anecdotes, and descriptive notes
Publication date1910
Published depictionPhotographed and published in Herbert Ward's 1910 book
Caption in publicationUn indigeno Aruwimi (An Aruwimi native)
Publication contentsIncluded photographs of visited places, people, the interior of Ward's hut, and sculptures he had made in Africa or from sketches brought back from Africa

Physical characteristics

MaterialBronze

Appearance

Depicted subjectThe head of a Bantu man living on the banks of the Aruwimi River
Facial markingsForehead scarification marks
Hair arrangementHair gathered into two braids falling along the sides of the head

Iconography and meaning

Scarification meaningIn many Central African peoples, scarification is a rite of passage to adulthood

Location and ownership

Current locationMusée d'Orsay, Paris

Other

Related sculptureWard also sculpted Woman of Central Africa, depicting a young Bakongo woman