ClassificationsAfrican Art

Female Figure

Place CreatedCôte d'Ivoire, Africa

Datelate 19th-early 20th Century

MediumWood, pigment

Credit LineEx coll. William S. Arnett

Dimensions20 7/8 x 8 7/16 x 4 15/16 in. (53 x 21.5 x 12.5 cm)

Object number1994.004.604

Label TextWood carvings of female figures, locally referred to as "people of wood", are produced by the Kyaman, Gwa, Akye, Abure, Eotile, and Abe groups that make up the Lagoon people of Cote d'Ivoire. These carvings serve a variety of functions. Often intended as portraits of female diviners and specific spirits associated with them, these figures mimic their female owners in dress, beads, and amulets and share a common name. Some share the names of guardian spirits and are thought to protect their owners from spiritual harm. Others serve purely secular functions as portraits of exceptional dancers displayed during their performances. While each carving might refer to a specific individual or spirit, figures such as these collectively embody notions of idealized female beauty. Detailed here are the figure's waist cloth, bracelets, massive feet, and thick, ringless neck on its sloping shoulders. Although the figure is adorned with a crested headpiece, the lack of a detailed hairstyle, the flat pendulum breasts, and the Lagoon people's reverence for mature women suggest this figure depicts a very old and important woman. The serene expression created by the long nose, slit eyes, and half-opened mouth is an expression found in gold pendants, pottery, and staffs created by the Lagoon people.
Exhibition HistoryMCCM Permanent Collection Installation, Rotation 1, December 15, 1995 - February 1997
MCCM Permanent Collection Installation, Rotation 2, February 1997 - July 1998
MCCM Permanent Collection Installation, July 19, 2003 - March 13, 2007
MCCM Permanent Collection Installation, November 19, 2007 - March 7, 2013

ProvenanceEx coll. William S. Arnett (1939-2020), Atlanta, Georgia.

Status

Not on view

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