The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of December 22, 2025
Back Skirt / Sitting Pad (negbe)
before 1929
Overall: 24.1 x 30.5 x 7.6 cm (9 1/2 x 12 x 3 in.)
Gift of the African Art Sponsors 1929.355
Location: Not on view
Did You Know?
A contemporary fashion in 1929, when it was purchased or collected, this negbe is now a historical document of past styles.Description
Egbe (singular: negbe) were fashionable and practical garments aristocratic Mangbetu women made for special occasions. Worn over a skirt, it tied onto a girdle along with a frontal “apron.” The curved interior piece rested on the lower back. Thickly woven, flexible natural fibers bent with the body, cushioning the wearer’s behind when sitting. When the woman was standing, the decorated flat portion faced outward, showing off bold geometric motifs. Egbe were among items sold to foreigners at the Mangbetu king’s encouragement as the Mangbetu actively constructed their self-image for outsiders during the 1920s and 1930s.- 1928Purchased by Paul Travis on behalf of the African Art Sponsors and the Gilpin Players in Ekibondo, Democratic Republic of the Congo (then-Belgian Congo)1928The African Art Sponsors (and the Gilpin Players?)1929–The Cleveland Museum of Art by Gift
- {{cite web|title=Back Skirt / Sitting Pad (negbe)|url=false|author=|year=before 1929|access-date=22 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1929.355