Africa, Zanzibar or Tanganyika
African, Nigeria, Yorubaland
Designed to represent Yoruba ancestral spirits, egungun masquerade costumes are typically brought to life by male performers for annual festivals to pay homage to departed relatives and supernatural beings. On display here is a partial costume, composed of netting, buttons, and hundreds of strips of local and imported cloth. The vibrant, trailing swaths of fabric are constructed to whirl with exaggerated movements during elaborate dance routines augmented by drumming and singing. In addition to motion, an accompanying mask would help complete the ensemble, conveying the personality of the represented spirit.
African, Nigeria, Benin Kingdom
Head of an Oba, 1900-1950 Copper alloy 13 1/4 h. x 12" dia.
Copper alloy head of an Oba, or King of Benin, wearing a cross-hatched cap and layered strings of coral beads along the neck with a wide-eyed expression, round cheeks, horizontal nose, and rendered lips. Research reveals that members of the Benin Guild of bronzecasters who formerly worked only for Benin Kings began to produce bronze heads for other audiences after the 1897 invasion. Since these were descendants of the same guild that produced the Benin bronzes in the 1897 loot, their products cannot be easily classfied as "inauthentic."
African: Frafa, N Ghana
Open semi-circular loop of heavy brass with flared ends and decorated with four sets of knobs.
long thin piece of wood with black pigment and basketry
burnished orange vessel with gourd-like neck
F. May Young Collection, given by Luella D. Saxby
African necklace made from spherical brown and tan beads.
Multi-colored fabric with metal fasteners
Magenta, purple, orange, teal, ivory colored belt; African
Open crescent shaped brass bracelet; hoove-like closure with four balls, geometric shapes and lines.
Brass amulet; upside-down triangle and crucifix shape; four hooks; zig-zag pattern at center.
African beaded necklace; carved stone beads on leather string.
Round ornamental gourd; brown; duck and snake etchings; stem on top
Beadwork is a significant facet of Yoruba art. This dagger, with intricately designed sheath and interlace leather hilt, is probably of Owo or Ijebu origins. In Owo, it is called udamalore (sword of the well-born) and is an insignia of high-rank. In Ijebu cultures, it is associated with the Ogboni Earth society and would be carried by priests or other elite members. The color combinations may signify particular deities (orisha) as well as their corresponding temperaments. For instance, the facial emblem with two triangular projections located close to the handle could possibly refer to Shango, god of thunder. The two red and white knot motifs (a sacred color combination commonly associated with Shango) also imply regality.
Necklace with multicolored beads and amulets
African wood staff with male figured handle.
A long wooden staff with the figure of an elephant at the top.
Woven Straw Basket w/ Lid w/ Loop Handle
straw w/ purple, green, hot pink diamonds
AFRICAN, Liberia, Dan people
Carved wood Mancala game board in an aminal form with head and tail-like shapes segregated by a table-like structure with 12 cups; four carved tapering legs extending from each corner. Played with small stones, beans or seeds and rows of holes or pits in the earth, Mancala games are a family of two-player strategy board games or other playing surface. The objective is usually to capture all or some set of the opponent's pieces.
AFRICAN, Sierra Leone, Mende people
Crescent moon-shaped seat supported by a single wood pole, carved in a spiral design. The seat's tapered ends are small rounded knobs carved at each end.
Black wood staff topped with snail, turtle and gun on platform. Rather than directly addressing his people, a chief relies on the oratorical skills of the okyeame, or linguist, to convey his ideas and dictums. The linguist also serves as principal advisor to the chief and weighs in on political, military and judicial matters. The staff is symbolic of this important position and the carved finial represents a proverb referring to the chief and state. The proverb associated with this staff is one regarding pacifism: if it were only for the snail and the tortoises the gun would not fire in the forest.
wood, traces of kaolin and hair dye, glass beads on fiber
include Coat of Arms of England in decoration
A stool carved into the shape of an animal.
A wooden feritility figure with a cylindrical torso, elongated neck, and a pronounced head. A simple line drawing appears on the back of the figures head.
Ceremonial Sword with decorative finial
Consists of wrought iron blade and gilt wood handle.
Originating from the matrilineal Akan culture, this disk-headed figure is one of the most widely recognizable art forms from West Africa. The name akuaba derives from a legend about a barren woman named Akua who was mocked for the trials she went through while attempting to conceive a child. More often referred to simply as fertility dolls, such objects are customarily blessed by priests and are carried by women who have commissioned them in aspirations of becoming pregnant. The large, flat head and outstretched arms which characterize this type of object are not only a common stylistic attribute, but also a practical design allowing the carving to be tucked in a wrapper and held against a womans back in a naturalistic manner akin to how a newborn infant might be carried. After fulfilling this primary function, the figure may be installed in a family shrine or passed on as an heirloom to be appreciated for its feminine beauty and for its capacity to recall the memory of a particular loved one.
Europeans collectively referred to Ghana and its surrounding regions as the Gold Coast in recognition of the lucrative resources located in West Africa. As the name suggests, gold weights were made to conform to precise standards in order to settle economic transactions among merchants. When gold dust ceased to be used as a form of currency, such objects continued to be passed down as heirlooms and have continued to be sold as souvenir items to tourists. Created through the lost-wax casting process, figurative gold weights like this one represent a later stage of Akan artistic development, with the earliest geometric style dating back to the emergence of Arab and sub-Saharan trade networks around the 9th century. The hunting scene here depicts a kneeling man with a musket aimed towards a leopard perched in a nearby tree. The visual context helps illustrate a number of Akan proverbs, which are considered a hallmark of Ghanaian art and culture.
b. Nigeria, 20th century
Wood, glass beads, twine, shell, metal, blue and black pigment
The rate of twinning is especially high among Yoruba peoples (approximately 45 sets in every 1,000 births). This cultural phenomenon is considered to be a blessing despite increased risk of infant morality. Ere ibeji honor mothers who bear twins, and are traditionally carved as a memorial to twins who do not survive childbirth. As the shells and bead accessories indicate, these figures are considered clothed. Such sculptures are cared for by mothers who commission them before eventually being passed on to the surviving sibling who is charged with ritually washing, dressing, and making offerings of food to each. The blue pigment applied to the coiffure is likely indigo, a natural plant-based dye signifying balancea central aesthetic concept observed in Yoruba art.
Babanki, Cameroon, Western Grassfieds
Male mask with superstructure of spider symbols above human head.
wood, black, red, white, green, yellow polychrome
Figure of female playing a mankalla board.
BaKongo people of Congo and Zaire
Bamana people, Ivory coast
An archaic and eroded carved face mask with delicately carved and serene features. The eye lids appear partially closed looking downward. The nose is thin and runs the length of the face with a narrow elegant profile; the mouth has softly indicated rounded closed lips.
Boli Power figure for the Kono society
Boli figures, made from earth, human excrement, animal fur, claws, bark, and venom, as well as other things, are among the most powerful objects in a Bamana village. Hidden away and tended to by a select few, the Boli is at once a terrifying and awesome object, the manifestation of a controlling and all-knowing spirit. The Boli acts as judge, jury and even executioner, effecting decisions that are based on keen, impartial assessment or, even more frighteningly, whim. For this reason the Bamana have been known to refer to the Boli as tyrannical rulers. Its decisions are interpreted by a small group of elders who govern the affairs of the village. By collectively imbuing the Boli with such power and influence, the Bamana attempt to ensure the longevity of their traditional structures of governance which are based on centuries-old systems of checks and balances. In Bamana culture, for example, it is preferable to prevent any one person from acquiring too much wealth as that would put him or her in a position of undue influence. It is expected that wealth will be shared and fear of the Bolis far-reaching power ensures that this redistribution takes place.
Standing wooden male antelope headdress, three pairs of horns slightly tapered upward, upward curved tail, bent legs elongated neck with iron collar and concave back with decorative incised pattern. Animal figure stands on a circular wood base that would have been attached to the dancer's head with a basketry support.
A wooden facemask with a pronounced nose and a headpiece.
Baule (or Wan) peoples of Cote d'Ivoire
Standing female figure with overall dark patina; arms are parallel to the torso, forearms crossed over stomach with hands together at lower abdomen.
Standing female figure; the arms rest close to the torso and the hands are indicated resting on the hips just near the abdomen. The figure has incised scarification all over the torso, arms, neck, arms, legs and the rounded base on which the figure stands. The face is naturalistic in a classic Baule style and has a raised crest coiffure.
Baule? or Akan? Ivory Coast? or Ghana?
Stool with support in form of a leopard capturing a tortoise.
Borana, N Central Kenya
fiber, cowrie shells, trade beads, giraffe hair
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Jospeh R. Ciaramella
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph R. Ciaramella
Burkina Faso or Ivory Coast
Burkina Faso, Mossi people
Brass ancestral statue mounted on black stand; statue includes elongated figure with curvilinear headdress and small abbreviated female figures positioned around upper torso.
Mask: painted wood with braided rope and fabric
Cap-like mask with painted wood and braided rope extending from lower edge; painted wood animal head positioned on top with striped horns.
Female figure with scarifications
Wood female figure with scarifications; figure stands with arms at sides positioned downward and is attached to a painted black base.
Bracelet in open crescent shape with twisted decoration and knobbed geometric ends.
Royal woman sculpture with woman holding twins
Bronze sculpture of woman holding twins at sides.
Carved wooden bowl supported by four standing fiures with arms linked.
Cote d'Ivoire, Baule people, Africa
Carved wood seated figure wearing a mask extending to the back of the head; figure is pulling on beard with both hands.
Cote d'Ivoire, Baule people
Red painted wood fask mask with black encircled eyes.
Black painted wood face mask with black horns and red encircled eyes.
Mask with plaited hair and facial scarification
Wood face mask with plaited hair and facial scarfication throughout checks.
Mask with plaited hair and facial scarifications
Wood facial mask with plaited hairand facial scarifications throughout cheeks.