Attribution Incomplete Notice
Collections and items in our institution have incomplete, inaccurate, and/or missing attribution. We are using this notice to clearly identify this material so that it can be updated, or corrected by communities of origin. Our institution is committed to collaboration and partnerships to address this problem of incorrect or missing attribution.
Open to Collaborate Notice
Our institution is committed to the development of new modes of collaboration, engagement, and partnership with Indigenous peoples for the care and stewardship of past and future heritage collections.
Traditional Knowledge Notice
The TK Notice is a visible notification that there are accompanying cultural rights and responsibilities that need further attention for any future sharing and use of this material. The TK Notice may indicate that TK Labels are in development and their implementation is being negotiated. For more information about the TK Notice, visit localcontexts.org.
Learn more about our Local Contexts research and to connect with Newfields' staff.
Artwork Details
6-1/4 x 26-1/4 x 3 in.
Accession NumberGift in memory of Karl Steckelmann by his grand niece, Julia M. Richey Hoehner, daughter of Lee and Julia Steckelman Richey of Greenfield, Indiana
CopyrightCollected by German-American trader and explorer Karl Steckelmann [1862-1895] {1}; by descent to his great nephews, James Richey, Palm Bay, Florida and Henry Richey, Greenfield, Indiana; given to the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields in 2011. {1} Karl Steckelmann traveled through the Belgium Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) from 1885-1895
This horn was part of the historic Steckelmann collection. Carl Steckelmann was employed as a trader in the Congo during the late 19th century. After ending him employment, Steckelmann went on a lecture tour across America as a means to finance further expeditions in Africa. A large part of the collection was purchased by the Cincinnati Art Museum, becoming the first African objects to be identified for their artistic merit rather than pure curiosities.
This horn is carved from a single piece of ivory. The mouthpiece is located on the side and the horn would have been held horizontally when in use. The top finial shows Janus heads which a typical aesthetic motif found in art from the Congo. One head depicts a face with raised keliods, a type of scarification. This would indicate gender differences between the two faces, one male and the other female.
Content Disclaimer and Usage Rights
Metadata about the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection comes from Newfields’ records and research. In some cases, information may be incomplete and research is ongoing. Newfields’ goal is to have as up-to-date metadata as possible, therefore, this information is subject to change. Newfields collections’ metadata is available under a Creative Commons Zero (CC0) waiver, which allows for re-use without legal restrictions.
Artworks that appear in the image file(s) above may be in copyright or have other legal and/or cultural restrictions to their use. For clarity, Newfields does not claim copyright to the image files created by Newfields of artworks in the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection. Newfields makes every effort to ascertain the copyright status of artworks in the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection. Please refer to the RightsStatements.org statement above for information about the current copyright status of the artwork. Additionally, some artworks may include Local Context’s Notices or Labels that attribute cultural authority of the artwork’s heritage and data.
Additional information about Newfields’ reproduction guidelines can be found in the Licensing Resources.