Hunting horn
date: label: Date
content: Late 15th century
name: label: Maker
content: Temne artist
label: Maker
content: Sapi-Portuguese style
label: Maker
content: Bullom artist
notes: label: Label Text
content: While the source of the materials and the superb artistry of this hunting horn can be attributed to Sierra Leone, certain of its features suggest that it was made by a Bullom or Temne artist for a European client. The positioning of its mouthpiece, its suspension lugs, as well as the scenes of a European hunt carved in relief and most likely based upon European prints all indicate the horn was produced for export. This horn is one of only three surviving horns attributed to the same hand. The heraldic shields and inscriptions carved near its base by this unidentified master artist help narrow the dating of its creation to between 1494 and 1500 and identify it as a royal gift from Crown Prince Manuel I of Portugal to King Ferdinand V of Castile and Aragon.
label: Label Text
content: West African ivories were coveted luxuries in Europe in the late 15th and 16th centuries and considered worthy as royal gifts. Increased international demand for ivory in subsequent centuries has endangered elephant populations however, giving rise to current international bans on its export and use.
label: Description
content: Ivory end blown horn with segmented horizontal carvings in tiers from the top to the bottom. The figures are of animals and humans. There are also plant forms (trees) and letters (Greek). Each band is carved with high and low relief objects and separated by lattice, beading or braiding. There are five carved S-shaped ivory loops on the side. Three have metal chains attached.
label: Provenance
content: Private collection, France
label: Provenance
content: Paul and Ruth Tishman, New York, before 1981 to 1984
label: Provenance
content: Walt Disney World Co.
label: Exhibition History
content: Visionary: Viewpoints on Africa's Arts, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 4, 2017-ongoing
label: Exhibition History
content: African Mosaic: Selections from the Permanent Collection, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 19, 2013–August 12, 2019 (installed May 14, 2014-June 8, 2017)
label: Exhibition History
content: The Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection Highlights, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., May 21, 2009-June 4, 2014 (deinstalled May 14, 2014)
label: Exhibition History
content: African Vision: The Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., February 15, 2007-March 31, 2009
label: Exhibition History
content: Encompassing the Globe: Portugal and the World in the 16th & 17th Centuries, National Museum of African Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., June 23-September 16, 2007; Palais des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles
label: Exhibition History
content: First Look: The Walt Disney-Tishman Collection of African Art, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., May 17-December 3, 2006
label: Exhibition History
content: Art of the Personal Object, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., September 24, 1991-April 9, 2007
label: Exhibition History
content: For Spirits and Kings: African Art from the Paul and Ruth Tishman Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1981
label: Published References
content: Hornbeck, Stephanie. 2016. "Ivory: I dentification and Regulation of a Precious Material." National Museum of African Art Conservation Lab publication. p.1.
label: Published References
content: Kreamer, Christine Mullen. 2006. "African Vision: The Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection." Tribal Arts 43, p. 86, nos. 11-12.
label: Published References
content: Kreamer, Christine Mullen, Bryna Freyer and Andrea Nicolls. 2007. African Vision: The Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection. Washington, D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, pp. 54, 68-69, fig. 13, no. 15.
label: Published References
content: Levenson, Jay A. (ed). 2007. Encompassing the Globe: Portugal and the World in the 16th & 17th Centuries. Washington, D.C.: Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, p. 152, no. A-5.
label: Published References
content: Mellor, S. 2007. From Delicious to Not Quite Right: Subtleties in Discerning the Authenticity of African Art. Objects Specialty Group Postprints, Volume 14 CD. Washington, DC: American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. p.14.
label: Published References
content: National Museum of African Art. 2007. 2007-2008 School Calendar: Featuring the new Let's Read about Africa and the Sounds of African Music programs. Museum calendar. Washington, D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, January 2008.
label: Published References
content: Patton, Sharon F. 2005. "Disney-Tishman: Gift to the Smithsonian Institution." Tribal Art X:2 (39), p. 63, no. 5.
label: Published References
content: Patton, Sharon F. and Bryna Freyer. 2008. Treasures 2008. Washington D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, pp. 4-5.
label: Published References
content: Robbins, Warren M. and Nancy Ingram Nooter. 1989. African Art in American Collections. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, p. 154, no. 282.
label: Published References
content: Ross, Doran (ed). 1992. Elephant: The Animal and Its Ivory in African Culture. Los Angeles: Fowler Museum of Cultural History, University of California, p. 293, no. D.
label: Published References
content: Skoda, Hannah, Patrick Lantschner and R. L. J. Shaw (eds). 2012. Contact and Exchange in Later Medieval Europe: Essays in Honour of Malcolm Vale. Rochester: Boydell & Brewer.
label: Published References
content: Visoná, Monica Blackmun, Robin Poyner, Herbert M. Cole and Michael D. Harris. 2001. A History of Art in Africa. New York: Harry N. Abrams, p. 172, no. 6-6.
label: Published References
content: Visoná, Monica Blackmun, Robin Poyner and Herbert M. Cole. 2008. A History of Art in Africa. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, p. 172, no. 6-6.
label: Published References
content: Vogel, Susan (ed). 1981. For Spirits and Kings: African Art from the Paul and Ruth Tishman Collection. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, pp. 64-67, no. 30.
label: Content Statement
content: As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
label: Image Requests
content: High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
place: label: Geography
content: Sierra Leone
topic: label: Topic
content: Hunting/Fishing
label: Topic
content: Marriage
label: Topic
content: Leadership
label: Topic
content: Status
label: Topic
content: dog
label: Topic
content: foreigner
label: Topic
content: weapon
label: Topic
content: Writing
label: Topic
content: tree
label: Topic
content: cross
label: Topic
content: male
label: Topic
content: Trade
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African Art Collection
label: Exhibition
content: Visionary: Viewpoints on Africa's Arts
label: On View
content: NMAfA, Second Level Gallery (2193)
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Walt Disney World Co., a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African Art
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2005-6-9
objectType: label: Type
content: Sculpture
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: Ivory, metal
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 64.2 x 16.4 x 9 cm (25 1/4 x 6 7/16 x 3 9/16 in.)