1
APPENDIX F
The Stanley and African Exhibition
This exhibition was staged, in 1890. It was put on by trade interests, government
officials, missionary, scientific and philanthropic bodies and told the story of Stanley’s
heroic travels in darkest Africa. Its scientific value was augmented by objects from other
collections around the world. The visitor was able to experience Africa. It celebrated
explorers and colonisation and justified the British presence in Africa as suppressing the
slave trade and bringing the word of the christian god to the natives. However there was
a degree of scandal because some of Stanley’s porters on the expedition may have been
slaves. These messages were portrayed by the objects themselves: maps showing
European colonial expansion in Africa and the routes of famous British explorers, trophy
displays of shields, spears, axes and throwing knives, a section devoted to portraits of
famous missionaries and reminders of the slave trade1.
This exhibition was held in The Victoria Gallery off Regent Street London. The patrons
of the exhibition were Queen Victoria and Leopold II. The catalogue of the exhibition
contains an Introductory Note, which remarks that:
“The popular imagination has been touched by the varied story of the Dark
Continent to an unprecedented extent1”. It says that the story has appealed
to the “philanthropist… lover of adventure… merchant… geographer…
Christian missionary eager for the spread of Christ’s kingdom as well as the
patriotic politician anxious for his nation’s aggrandisement”
and that “men’s minds” have been captured by:
“Frightful wrongs to be wiped out, deeds of high enterprise to be achieved,
virgin countries to be commercially exploited, valuable scientific
discoveries to be made, myriads of people steeped in the grossest idolatry,
and regions more or less capable of colonization”.
“To illustrate some of these various forms of enterprise in a concrete fashion
is the object of the Stanley and African Exhibition, whilst celebrating what
1
The pages of the catalogue are unnumbered.
2
we may safely conclude to be the culminating point in the romantic history
of the Dark Continent” [1890 was the year of Stanley’s return from his trek,
through the Congo, to the Nile in search of Emin Pasha].
The catalogue says that “the arrangement of the Exhibition falls naturally into the
following order:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
The Native Section… arms, implements, domestic utensils, musical instruments,
dresses and adornments of savage Africa…
The Geographical Section… maps and diagrams…
The Section of Portraits of the most eminent men connected with the African
enterprise, including:
(a)
Explorers
(b)
Missionaries
(c)
Abolitionists
(d)
Pioneer Traders
(e)
Sportsmen…
The Slave Trade Section
The Department of Pictures and Photographs, showing African peoples,
dwellings, and scenery, and illustrative of missionary and commercial enterprise
among the dark races.
To bring the conditions of life in Africa more clearly before the visitor’s mind, a native
hut and an African primeval forest and village scene have been constructed…
ENTRANCE HALL
The Exhibition is reached through the gate of a palisade, similar in character to those
erected by the natives… decorated as usual with human skulls… sufficiently open to
allow arrows to be shot through…
EN ROUTE FOR THE HEART OF SAVAGE AFRICA
THE EXPLORERS’ FIRST CAMP
[Here was a reconstruction of an explorers’ camp, with tents and “camping outfit” and
scenery including “quaint huts” and “half-clothed negroes”]
VESTIBULE
Bust of Mr. H. M. Stanley, by Frank Theed…
Diagram map, by E.G. Ravenstein…
This illustrates the progress of African exploration and cartography…
THE DOME
Bust of H. M. the Queen…
Portrait of H. M. Leopold II…
Portrait of H. M. Stanley…
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Helmet worn by H. M. Stanley during his expedition in search of Dr. Livingstone {Over
portrait}
Portrait of Emin Pasha
Portrait of H. M. Stanley
Portrait of H. M. Stanley with his African boy Kalulu
Trophies of shields and horns
… flags… head of African elephant… paddles and spears… two ebony chairs… case of
objects… comprising [inter alia] knives… war horn… bottle containing poison, used for
dipping arrow-heads…
RIGHT STAIRCASE TO GALLERY
Trophy of arms… Carved and painted fetish from Asaba, lent my Major Claude
Macdonald… Idol given by the King of Brass…
LEFT STAIRCASE TO GALLERY
Case containing young ostrich and egg… carved wooden fetish or idol… four cases of
tropical African insects…
MAIN HALL
[Note – the numbering of the Panels, or Wall Spaces, commences on left of the visitor
when entering the hall]
AFRICAN SECTION
Panel 1 - SOMALI-LAND AND EGYPTIAN SUDAN…
Panel 2 - EMIN PASHA’S PROVINCE AND UGANDA…
Panel 3 - MASAI-LAND…
Panel 4 - EAST CENTRAL AFRICA…
Panel 5 - EAST CENTRAL AFRICA…
Panel 6 - TANGANYIKA REGION…
Panel 7 - CENTRAL SOUTH AFRICA
Panel 8 - [UNTITLED]
Panel 9 - CONGO BASIN
Panel 10- REGION OF THE CONGO BASIN…
Panel 11- THE CONGO STATE COLLECTION
Panel 12- CONGO FREE STATE COLLECTION (continued)
Panel 13- THE MIDDLE NIGER REGION
Panel 14- LOWER NIGER REGION
Panel 15- NIGER RIVER
Panel 16- WEST COAST OF AFRICA (YORUBA)
Cases 1-14 [The cases seem to contain personal collections lent to the exhibition]
Column 1 – Exhibited by Mr. Bonny… Collection of objects from the Congo and
Aruwimi, including weapons, dresses, fetishes, and carved figure holding a bowl…
Column 7 –Trophy of arms from the Congo…
Column 12-Spears from the Congo…
Column 13-Congo spears…
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Column 14- Congo spears…
CENTRE OF THE HALL
Bust of Henry M. Stanley…
The original quarter-size model for the large group of Africa on the Albert
Memorial…Nile trophy…[elephants tusks]… An adult male gorilla…
NATIVE HUT OF BECHUANALAND
[Two little Swazi boys are in attendance]
THE LIONS DEN
[Lion and lioness and crocodile]
GALLERY
EXPLORERS’ SECTION
Case 1 – Relics of Dr. Livingstone…[there were six cases of explorers’ memorabilia in
this section]…
AFRICAN VILLAGE AND FOREST
[Two painted scenes are illustrated here: a peaceful village scene and the aftermath of a
visit by slave traders]
MAPS IN THE GALLERY
[There are 46 maps listed]
PORTRAITS ETC., IN GALLERY
[Paintings, engravings, photographs, but also coins, trophies, slave chains – there are 165
items listed for this section]
PASSAGE LEADING TO TEA ROOM
VESTIBULE TO REFRESHMENT ROOM
REFRESHMENT ROOM”
The exhibition of items from the Congo
The details of the exhibits, from the catalogue, on the panels dealing with the Congo are
listed in the following table. Steains, who drew many of the objects and whose drawings
are in the Museum of Mankind Library, used two sketchbooks. The one with most
relevant drawings in has its pages numbered e.g. 54, the other book does not have its
pages numbered so I have counted from the front and the pages are referred to in that way
e.g. 1st page. Generally it is easy to link drawing and catalogue description, there are just
five drawings which cannot be linked up.
5
Item
number
in
catalogue
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
5
6
6A
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Description in catalogue
Trophy of spears and shields
A spear with bell terminal
Collection of remarkable shaped war
knives and throwing weapons from the
Upper Congo
Plaited basket shields
Batchké chiefs’ crown of brass from
Stanley Pool
Two ivory clubs
Four war –horns formed by Elephant’s
tusks
Iron currency of the Congo Basin
Iron currency (lance irons), used in lieu of
money
Two curved blade weapons (Upper Congo)
Knife from Sankuru
Knife from Lomami
Two weapons from the Aruwimi
Weapon from the Upper Congo
Two blades from Bangala
Two knives from Stanley Falls
Two knives from Bangala
Two scabbards
Dagger from Lukengi
Two axes from Sankuru, one with copper
handle
Two knives from Bangala
Brass sheath for weapon (Bangala)
Brass bracelet (Kiongo)
Knife and sheath from Obangi
Shield from Aruwimi
Shield of plaited wicker
Two looms for making grass cloth
Brass bracelet
A large drum from Niari
A stand of spears and a Kassai head-dress
Drum idol from Niari
Stool (Unyamwezi)
Chair from the Upper Congo
Bark box from Tanganyika
Ivory pestle from the Aruwimi
Drawn by Steains’ (1890)
54
54
55 (Somami?)
55
56
56
57
57
58
3rd page
59
2nd page
1st page (described as drum)
6
Item
number
in
catalogue
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Description in catalogue
Drawn by Steains’ (1890)
Musical box (ornamented) from Kassai
Wicker basket in interlaced bellows
A pair of blacksmith’s bellows
A collection of Kassai grass cloths
Decorated calabash from the Congo
Wicker basket from Loango
Stool from Bangala
Shield from Equator Station
An idol or fetish from Boma
Four Aruwimi paddles
Upper Congo currency
Two weapons from Upper Congo
Knife and sheath
Two knives from Bungala
Two weapons from Bungala
Two daggers from Mamyuema
Two hatchets from Lomami
A knife from Lomami
A knife from Sankuru
Two daggers from Sankuru
Two knives from Kassai
Two brass weapons from Bateké
Knife blade, inlaid and perforated, from
Sankuru
Chiefs’ symbols of authority from Sankuru
2nd page
Pair of shields and bows from Equator
district
Chief’s bonnet or cap
Drum from Uganda
Drum
Specimens of basket-work
Ivory war horns
Ivory bracelets
Decorated incised calabash
Pair of blacksmith’s bellows
Stool ornamented with brass nails
A drum fetish from Niari, Congo
Basket from Loango
Long drum from Fiott
1st page
1st page
60
64 (one only)
63 (one only)
63
63
63
60
61 (one only)
62
66?
65 (Described as Bassongo
Chief’s symbol of authority)
66 (detail)
67 (one shield only)
65 and 66?
3rd page
5th page
64
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Item
number
in
catalogue
Description in catalogue
Drawn by Steains’ (1890)
Specimens of grass cloths from Kassai. Stand of spears from Soudan and Congo, and a
Congo head-dress of feathers.
A nkisi at the Stanley and African Exhibition
I have identified one nkisi at the exhibition, it is item 35 in panel 11 and is described as
“an idol or fetish from Boma Congo” [see illustrations in the text of the dissertation].
The sketch of the figure is my copy of Steains’ drawing. His drawing indicates the
dimensions of the object, it is 431/2” high. There are notes on the sketchbook page:
“The little wooden figures, of which there are five attached to the idol, are
furnished with red glass bead anklets – necklaces – and have all very
protruding abdomens – into which cowrie shells have been inserted in order
to imitate navels. The grooved portion down the center of the forehead is
highly polished for (the next word is unclear, it could be finger). Small
circular pieces of looking glass are inserted for the eyes. On breast yellow
handkerchief with blue pattern. On right side red torn flannel. Rags very
dirty of blue, white yellow and red. Blue and red predominating.
A-A [the base] is a lot of old rope (thin) of a pale Burnt Umber colour –
nails and knives rusty black and brown. Head shaded dark brown light
brown and dull red (ochre?) as shown. Abdomen feet and stand pale brown
wood”.
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See Coombes (1994) pp.66-77