BAMUM Throne Stool (German-Medal-Emulation Plating — Njimem Chiefdom)

A wooden stool featuring caryatid supporting figures, entirely covered in a distinct, thin, geometric sheet-metal plating utilizing contrasting colors and shapes.

1. Aesthetic Style and Colonial Skeuomorphism

This throne stool from the Njimem Chiefdom represents an adaptive moment in Bamum art history. While the underlying wooden structure utilizes the traditional Grassfields caryatid form, the exterior is covered in thin, geometric brass and copper plating. This geometric design is interpreted as an abstraction and emulation of the medals and uniforms worn by German colonial officers. The Bamum artist co-opted the visual language of the foreign colonizers, applying it to a traditional African throne to synthesize a new, modern aura of authority.

2. Ritual Function and the Myth of the Racing Brothers

This throne is tied to the founding mythology of the Njimem dynasty (traditionally dated to the 14th century). According to the murals in the audience chamber, two brothers fought for the throne and agreed to a footrace to a large stone to decide the victor. One brother cheated by having his supporters grab the other's loincloth, winning the race and taking power through a coup. This throne, attributed to the current chief's grandfather, serves as the physical, enduring seat of that contested power, continually reminding the clan of the cunning and ruthlessness associated with ruling.

3. Patina, Material Weathering, and Chronology

The metal plating on this stool is consistent with an attribution to the late 19th or early 20th-century German colonial period. The thin sheet metal exhibits oxidation, with green verdigris forming along the overlapping seams and the small pins holding the metal to the wood. The seat of the stool is polished, where the friction of garments has worn the geometric plating smooth, showing wear consistent with a history of active ceremonial use.

Summary

This throne stool is a notable historical document that physically bridges ancient Bamum succession myths with the visual influence of German colonialism. Its unique geometric plating makes it a significant example of adaptive Grassfields political art.