The Luba
The Luba Empire was founded in 1585, in the depression of the Upemba by King Kongholo, his nephew and successor Llunga Kalala, enlarges rapidly until the kingdom territory on the left bank of the River Lualaba. At the height of the kingdom more than a million people live in tribes, various paid tribute to King Luba. At the end of XIX with DVANCED Ovimbudu of Angola and the raids of slave traders Islamic empire s'affiblit and collapsed when the Belgian colonists arrived.
The economy lm'empire Luba came from payment of tribute and redistribution of resources from agriculture, fishing and hunting, and mining.
Luba artists have created many objects related to the activity of the court, the prestige objects were usually decorated with female figures everywhere in Luba art. Because of the huge area covered by the empire there are wide variations in the corpus stylistic art Luba.
Masks:
Luba masks rare, are found mainly in the eastern part of the empire. One type of mask Luba, very similar to the masks of kifwebe Songye but has more rounded features. There are very few zoomorphic masks.
Statues:
Luba artists have sculpted female statues standing or kneeling Mboko called, cleverly taking a cut, and who served during the ceremonies of divination. The statues stand uncommon, and probably representing the forest spirits or ancestors are covered with a patina oil, resulting from many libations. Smaller statuettes called Bankishi and instruments friction appointed Katatora are used by diviners Luba.
Everyday objects
A large number of prestige objects such as stools caryatids, scepters carriers arc pipes, axes of support necks were decorated with athropomorphes, they were exposed during official ceremonies and allowed to show the power of king. The dignitaries wore amulets apotropaic ivory. The earthenware dishes were often decorated with incised geometric patterns.
